


Aliit ori'shya tal'din [Family is more than blood]

by ADLER_ORZEL



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bad Mando'a, Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Mandalorian Culture, Mando'a, Slow Burn, really slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23065666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADLER_ORZEL/pseuds/ADLER_ORZEL
Summary: There are many ways to start a journey.A golden coin given by The Armorer set the course for the one for both of them and although he was still overwhelmed he never refused a task assigned to him.He already had experience in adventure but this was a more complicated, more terrifying one; one for which he didn't feel ready.Luckily, he wouldn't be alone in what he was sure would be the greatest of all his missions because reconstruction requires many hands and is not easy.This is the struggle of a space single dad with a green son, a deathly mercenary with a duty (Oc) and their battle against oblivion for the protection of their ancestor's inheritance.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Original Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV) & Original Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV) & Original Female Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 46
Kudos: 36





	1. Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> I leave here this product of my imagination, fangirl soul and sleepless nights. 
> 
> The feedback is appreciated and as an extra note English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are many ways to start a journey.  
> A golden coin given by The Armorer set the course for the one for both of them and although he was still overwhelmed he never refused a task assigned to him.  
> He already had experience in adventure but this was a more complicated, more terrifying one; one for which he didn't feel ready. Luckily, he wouldn't be alone in what he was sure would be the greatest of all his missions because reconstruction requires many hands and is not easy.  
> This is the struggle of a space single dad with a green son, a deathly mercenary with a duty (Oc) and their battle against oblivion for the protection of their ancestor's inheritance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I leave here this product of my imagination, fangirl soul and sleepless nights.
> 
> The feedback is appreciated and as an extra note English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.

**Chapter 1 “Thoughts”**

The baby giggled playing with the little metal ball, he looked at him for a moment and unintentionally reviewed the scene by memory, even with a head injury he doubted that he would ever forget it.

_By creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father._

Mando still felt an emptiness in his stomach, it was not easy to read the Armorer but the slightly tired and even mocking tone in her voice while reciting those words had taken him by surprise.

He sat for a moment, now that the adrenaline had passed and he had time to be alone with his thoughts he felt drained, at his back the baby made a soft sound again.

Sighing, he took one look at the signet, the symbol of his clan.

The delicate piece of beskar in the shape of a mudhorn shone down the starlight.

Mando always thought he would get his signet when the enclave was safe, when they finally found a way to get back up proudly and without fear because they had the strength of the creed behind them and the safety of the orphans was secure.

_There is a reason we call them foundlings._

It has been years since he heard his voice in his mind, Bendak, the man who had saved him the day his fathers died and then had taken care of his training teaching him to survive.

He heard another coo this time up close, looked down, the baby smiled at him and lowered his ears as he used to do every time Mando went for a long time without paying attention.

\- Because you're not an orphan-

He lifted the baby, who raised his ears pleased to hear him speak to him.

"You are a foundling."

The baby smiled, and he could swear that the kid looked him

straight into his eyes as if he were reading his thoughts.

\- You are my foundling-

The words erupted with alarming ease causing him a chill, sitting in the pilot's chair he hugged the baby and let the galaxy dance in front of him for a moment.

Concentrating on the baby's breath and his own heartbeat, he tried to digest the frightening situation.

“What have I gotten into?"

Mando sighed with more than incertitude, what was the right thing to do?

The Armorer had said he couldn't train him; the only option left was to reunite him with those of his race.

He felt lost in a way he hadn't felt for a long time. He thought he was sure of his place in the vastness of the galaxy, but suddenly he didn't know where to go, where to start.

_Be safe on your journey._

The Armorer had told him at the time she discreetly handed him a tiny bag, a little bag that he had not opened, and that had somehow survived his first phoenix flight tied to his belt. He left the baby on the floor and opened it.

Inside was a coin and a tracking fob.

Without recognizing the material, he took out the coin and examined it.

It weighed no more than a credit although it was larger and with soft carvings that seemed familiar but that he could not remember where he had seen them before.

He ran his finger over the embossed bantha and turned the coin around. When the flower print surrounding a G-18 appeared and almost as a reflex, he put the coordinates on the control panel; it marked an empty space located in the Wild Space.

\- It looks like we'll go to the end of the world, little womp rat-

He told the baby as he deposited the coin in his small hand, citing the name the infamous Koda station cantina. As if the kid understood what he meant, an unintelligible babble was his answer.

\- We will have to prepare for the trip, don't you think?-

The infant smiled again, babbled moving his ears, and lifted the little hand that held the coin.

\- So, let's find a place to stock up and move on from there-

With bright eyes, the baby laughed, raising his arms towards him. Without thinking Mando picked it up and placed it in his lap, the kid held the coin tightly in one hand and with the other grabbed Mando's breastplate.

While still smiling, the child snuggled himself into Mando's arms.

\- Everything will be fine-

He didn't know if he was trying to convince himself or the baby, but the coo that he heard as an answer calmed him down.

“Yes, everything will be fine.”


	2. Kindness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mando and his son are in a small problem but there are always friendly people willing to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, thanks for the Kudos!  
> Here is the second chapter, the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.

**CHAPTER 2 “Kindness”**

Nothing was fine.  
Mando pressed the small capsule against his side and swallowed the urge to curse only at the possibility of being discovered.  
How had they gotten into this problem?  
He heard the baby babble annoyed inside the capsule, and sighed in frustration.  
-Shh –  
Once there was silence, he headed back to the market where they had been buying supplies.  
They had stopped at Norah to stock up on enough food and fuel for the hyperspace jumps and the return, but he didn't expect the beskar of his armour to attract so much attention.  
  
Usually simply being a Mandalorian ensured him a good deal of unnecessary attention, but this time he had caused a bit of a riot.  
Apparently, a load of beskar had been stolen.  
The last time the cargo was seen was when it was placed in the warehouse of a cargo ship. The next day at the pre-departure check, the beskar was gone.  
After drawing an absurd amount of mercenaries, Mando was finally near the harbour, but to his surprise, the Razor Crest was not in sight.  
  
Someone had stolen their ship.  
  
He cursed under his breath and tried to think of a way to locate the ship, at least they weren't being chased by Imperials, he reminded himself.  
The Razor Crest was not small, and unless they had taken it from the planet, it should not be so difficult to find.  
Mando hurried over the market as he started looking for the local cantina, where he could buy some information or hopefully find the poor jerk who had tried to take their ship away.  
  
Another group of mercenaries appeared across the street; he hid behind a building and looked sideways at the capsule.  
The first option was to fight and shoot their way out of that planet even if it meant leaving the provisions, but the child was going to need food for a trip of that calibre, and if they wanted to arrive soon they could not be stopping on each planet with possible frogs.  
As another group of mercenaries passed his hiding place, possible scenarios ran through his head; if he fought, he could take a few and risk the child's welfare.  
He felt a chill when the voices of the mercenaries were suddenly heard very close, and without realising, he attracted the capsule closer to him.  
The second option, forget about the Razor Crest and escape buying a ticket on another ship; Mando felt an emptiness in his stomach.  
  
Razor Crest was his first possession, the first thing he had proudly obtained on his own.  
  
The ship could be junk for the others.  
For him, it was the closest thing to a home he had ever known; it was the only constant in his life besides the beskar.  
The thought of abandoning it made him nauseous and a lump formed in his throat.  
Mando knew he shouldn't stick to something as trivial as a ship, but somehow he felt it would be like abandoning one of his arms.  
He heard the baby whine and slightly opened the capsule.  
\- Shh, everything is fine, don't cry–  
The baby stopped crying and looked him into the eyes, in that way that seemed to say "I'm sorry."  
Could he feel his anxiety and sadness at having to leave the Razor Crest?  
  
When the child pouted sadly and his eyes filled with tears again, he felt guilty, the kid didn't have to know how difficult it was for him and after all, it was just a ship.  
\- I'll get you out of here -  
Mando had to find a way out of there before the news spread, and more mercenaries arrived in search of the reward.  
As he turned in an alley, he swallowed a curse once more. Facing a group of mercenaries, Mando pushed the capsule behind him; he had to get rid of them before they called for reinforcements.  
  
The first one came from the front, confident to the extreme but with empty hands, he felt the punch coming directly to his ribs. Still, as soon as the movement was done, he returned the hit aiming to the head.  
The guy leaned down, and he took the opportunity to hit him in the abdomen, once weakened Mando threw him against his companions who cascaded over him.  
The next one also approached with empty hands, he hit him in the nose then took him by the neck to protect himself from the third guy who brought a long piece of metal with which he tried to hit him.  
Once the first stroke of the piece of metal was blocked, Mando released the second guy and hit the third forcefully in the throat.  
With his free hand, Mando took his blaster and shot the second guy making sure that he no longer got up.  
  
He was about to shoot the third mercenary when he felt the shot against the beskar, resisting the pain he shot the fourth mercenary. Returning the fire with one hand, he kicked the guy who was still on the ground.  
Mando felt again a shot bouncing against the beskar on his thigh, and the fifth guy threw himself against him; he dodged the vibroblade for very little.  
He hit the mercenary at the shoulder joint, and without taking the blade from his hand, he buried it deep on the guy´s side.  
The shot in his left side made Mando hiss in pain, and he rose furiously.  
Mando blocked one, two, three blaster shots with the vambraces and when he had the shooter in front of him, he shot him in the head.  
When another shot was heard behind him, he lost his breath.  
  
He had not seen the sixth mercenary arrive.  
The guy lay dead right in front of the capsule, he looked up, and a woman with violet skin raised her hands in surrender, still holding a blaster.  
\- He was about to open the capsule, and that put the baby at risk -  
Mando checked her with the visor for possible weapons but found no threat besides the blaster, he nodded.  
\- Thank you -  
She nodded and lowered her hands, approaching the dead mercenary and put the blaster in the belt she was wearing.  
He imitated her and put his blaster away.  
\- I've been looking for you; I know where your ship is, and I can hide you until it gets dark -  
The woman approached him, after looking carefully for more mercenaries, she gestured for him to follow her.  
  
It could be a trap; after all, she wore a long black scarf that covered her hair and part of her face.  
-It's not a trap –  
He turned to look at her. She seemed exasperated, especially when they heard the voices of several people approaching.  
-You just got rid of five of them, what danger can I be? -  
Good point, but not enough. Mando tried to leave.  
-Okay, I can't be captured either, you see? –  
The woman took her scarf off her face. The slavery mark was evident; she was also escaping.  
  
He nodded and followed her down an intricate path of alleys until they left the city and entered the forest, after walking for half an hour that seemed eternal, they finally reached a meadow.  
His surprise was immense when he saw the Razor Crest.  
-Did you steal our ship? –  
Mando pulled out his blaster almost without thinking, and in a clean movement. She raised her hands in surrender without attempting to take her blaster with her green eyes bright of fear.  
-The one who stole it was me –  
He cursed in his mind; it had to be a trap.  
  
Mando turned to the male voice behind him and met a man carrying a backpack also with his hands in surrender.  
-We saw you arrive and as soon as you left the ship, the mercenaries gave notice of having found the lost beskar-  
The man walked to stand next to the violet-skinned woman who seems relieved to see him.  
\- We have no intention of causing harm; we even brought the supplies you bought. You can check, they are inside –  
He could not risk turning to look, and the situation was uncomfortable in itself.  
-We know that you did not steal the beskar and it seems unfair to us that a father and his son who were only passing through, be in trouble because the useless guardian of a shipment wants to save his skin –  
Okay. Should he believe them?  
-We are also passing through, and we just wanted to repay a debt, if you agree we will leave and everything will be fine. You can wait for it to get dark and then leave the planet. -  
He thought about the baby; he had to keep it safe.  
  
But deep down, he didn't want to hurt the people in front of him.  
-We have tickets for early tomorrow, and we planned to hide here for tonight, but you need it more than we do-  
The man looked anxious, but when the woman hugged him, he relaxed; none moved.  
-It is not necessary-  
Mando said with little conviction.  
He didn't like the idea of waiting for the nightfall although it made sense if he wanted to avoid being pursued by mercenaries. He did not want to be there with those strangers, but he also did not want to lose sight of them.  
-We'll stay on this side away from you and the baby, okay? -  
The man hugged the woman who seemed calmer, and they walked a few meters away from him and the ship, the atmosphere was uncomfortable in a non-threatening way.  
He lowered the blaster and careful not to turn his back on them, sat down on the ramp of the ship with the capsule secure behind him.  
  
The strange couple took out a couple of blankets from the backpack and began to set up a small camp at a reasonable distance from the ship.  
They spoke in low voices almost being careful not to disturb him; Mando decided not to pay much attention to them; after all, they did not seem dangerous.  
  
He heard the baby cry and opened the capsule. As soon as he saw him, the kid began to sob more slowly and spread his arms. Mando took it and sat him on his lap after lightly rubbing one of his ears.  
-Shh, what's going on?-  
The baby sobbed again, looking up at him with huge black eyes brimming with tears as he stirred in his arms.  
-Maybe he's hungry-  
He heard the man say as he stood up with both arms raised in the air and holding a glass bottle in his left hand.  
-It is Bantha's milk; we brought it as a sign of peace. For the baby-  
The man approached slowly, one step at a time and with a kind smile that made him even more suspicious.  
-My name is Siiwook, and she is Zizzy-  
The man with brown hair and kind smile pointed to the woman with pink skin and partially covered face who greeted him from afar.  
-We are on our way to my home planet Nuralee to get married-  
Mando took the bottle with milk; the baby happily gurgled when he tasted the blue liquid.  
-Thank you and congratulations-  
Siiwook nodded smiling and did not attempt to touch the baby. Instead, he quickly walked away, as if he feared it would make Mando angry, returning to the side of his fiancee who looked worried but smiling.  
  
They didn't talk anymore after that brief encounter, but he watched them as the hours went by even after the baby fell asleep.  
They seemed sincere and very much in love, almost in a cheesy way.  
He was glad for them; they seemed somewhat young and very happy. Deep down he wondered how two people as unlike as an apparent merchant of Nuralee and a slave from somewhere in the galaxy had fallen in love; the image of them hugging each other made him feel a sad pang in his chest.  
Life would not be easy for them, especially when people asked about the mark on Zizzy's face or when they had children, and she would have to explain the reason for having it.  
  
When it finally began to get dark, Zizzy spoke from where they were getting ready to sleep.  
-At this time they will have thought that you left, it is safer for you to take off and enter hyperspace now-  
He nodded and walked towards them, who looked at him, somewhat scared.  
-Thank you-  
He extended a couple of credits towards them, Zizzy opened her eyes wide and turned to Siiwook for help.  
-Thank you very much, but we cannot accept it-  
Zizzy smiled at him and turned to look at the baby who had followed him to where they were.  
-Why did you help us?-  
Siiwook came forward and looked at the baby, then looked at him.  
-A few moons ago, a person who was covering his face and wearing beskar helped us escape and with that allowed us to start a new life-  
Siiwook smiled as the boy touched Zizzy's hair giving a little gasp of astonishment at the colour.  
\- Hiding you for a couple of hours and loading some things to the ship is not nearly the same, but we wanted to return the favour-  
The baby's laughter caught their attention, looking at the kid he found him playing with a lock of pink hair, Zizzy smiled and picked up the baby to give it to him.  
-Children must be safe, and we must protect them from the bad things that can happen to them. Yours is lucky; his father will do anything to make sure he is safe-  
The woman's smile shook him, there was so much sadness in her eyes, yet the smile and words were sincere.  
-Thanks to both of you-  
Siiwook and Zizzy smiled kindly.  
  
Zizzy's voice, full of emotion, calling him "father" of the baby resonated in his ears until they were in hyperspace.  
  
With a warm sensation in his chest, he turned to look at the sleeping baby in the capsule and didn't realise he was smiling.


	3. Frogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To escape the routine and anxiety of being locked in the ship, Mando and baby decide to go to Abrasax to stretch their legs a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello kind people! :D  
> The other day on Tumblr I came across the idea of Mando and baby visiting a planet where the kid could have some fun and I found it adorable so I decided to add a chapter dedicated to that idea.  
> I remind you that feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar errors.

**CHAPTER 3**

**"Frogs"**

In situations like this, Mando was grateful that the Razor Crest went under the radar.

He knew it would be a long trip. It was not a problem for him after all he was used to spending a great deal of time in the silence of space with stars gliding around him.

What he didn't count on was that the kid wouldn't get along as well as he did. Life had been turbulent ever since he had found the baby in Arvala-7, and although they had travelled the galaxy jumping from planet to planet, the kid had gotten along relatively well. 

But now that they were not being pursued and were heading for an unknown place, being locked up and seeing no one else seemed to exasperate the little one.

The child spent hours crying disconsolately, making sleep impossible for both of them and causing a tense atmosphere. 

The anxiety Mando sent out while travelling through areas known to pirates and other unpleasant kinds of people seemed to upset the poor kid even more to the point where he sometimes refused to eat. The monotony of the ship, the space and the remarkable silence between the two began to bore the baby, making him irritable.

In an attempt to lighten the mood and take advantage of the fact that they were a few days away from their destination, he decided to land the ship on Abraxas.

In previous years this planet had been the hiding place of pirates. After their expulsion the planet had been abandoned, leaving space for nature to take over. 

What had once been a planet exploited by its mining had become a small green jungle in metal-free places.

During the landing, he appreciated that the weather was excellent and pleased with the large number of trees that stretched out in front of him, Mando looked to the capsule behind him, the little one seemed happy with the sunlight that filtered towards the cabin.

They landed, and once the soft roar of the ship had ceased the kid jumped out of his capsule hurrying to the door while his eyes asked him to help him down the stairs. 

He took him in his arms and went down to the cargo area then without releasing the baby; he opened the side door. 

As soon as the ramp hit the ground the kid scrambled to be released, Mando set him carefully on the soft grass, and the baby began to walk in circles with his little legs, not quite knowing where to go until a noise caught his attention and he started running towards some big trees.

\- Don't stray too far –

The infant did not listen, with a sigh, Mando hurried to follow him closely, watching him stumble from time to time from the emotion of being outdoors. 

Mando felt a little guilty that he had locked him up for so long and was beginning to reconsider the way they would travel when the baby suddenly gave a little cry as he launched himself down the hill.

Alarmed, he followed him and found himself smiling under the helmet when he saw the kid surrounded by frogs in front of a small pond. 

The baby started laughing very happily as he began to chase a good-sized frog, worried that he might try to eat it, Mando took him and turned it to distract him with the other frogs.

The baby did not take it to heart and began to chase every frog that was within his reach, mainly those who tried to flee and although from time to time he stumbled, he kept laughing ecstatically with such fun.

Mando let him be without losing sight of him and holding back his laughter when he saw him run from one place to another with all the power of his little legs.

Sitting on a rock not far away, he watched the baby chase and ate more than six frogs.

\- I'm not sure I should let you eat them –

The kid smiled at him and stammered something.

\- If you say so, but I insist, they could hurt you in the long run –

The baby looked down and spluttered again.

\- I think maybe you should eat something else. We have enough food on the ship; you don't need to eat them –

The kid replied with another babble.

\- How are you sure they taste better? –

The baby smiled and ran after the big frog he had seen earlier, Mando sighed. 

\- Leave that one; it's too big. You won't be able to eat it–

He talked to him slowly, the kid spluttered with intensity.

\- It's the size of your head, no matter how much you like them, you won't be able to eat it–

The baby jumped on the giant frog, it got scared, and in a second it dived into the pond; with the child still on top of it.

The splash stopped his heart for a moment and made him run to the pond.

\- Womp rat? –

He knelt by the uneven pond; the kid was wet but unwounded. His soul returned to his body.

\- I told you to leave it –

Mando took the kid in his arms when the little kid started crying as he tried to reassure him; the poor baby was drenched.

\- Enough fun for today –

On the walk back to the Razor Crest, the child kept crying nonstop, when the baby began to tremble with cold he quickened his pace.

\- Shh, shh. You're just wet. We'll figure it out, don't cry –

A pitiful moan made him shiver; he couldn't get sick, could he? 

Mando cursed under his breath and closed the door. 

\- hey, hey, take it easy –

He placed the baby on the cot that served as his room and began to remove the wet robe, as soon as he stripped him of it, the kid cried again shivering with cold. 

Searching with his eyes for something that would serve as a blanket, he realized that everything that would have been useful had been used by Kuiil to make the new crib, the crying increased and he took him in his arms.

\- Shh, shh, you will be warm in a moment –

Mando went up to the cabin, hoping that the blanket the baby always used was enough, he wrapped him up, but the poor kid was still crying.

\- Okay, I'll think of something else, shh, don't cry –

He began to speak softly to him, and although the baby's crying began to stop the tremors increased.

Mando could not let him get sick; he had to think of something as soon as possible while hugging him tightly, trying to warm him up. The baby cried again.

\- The beskar is cold - 

_ "Idiot," _ he told himself.

\- Ah, ah sorry, shh, it was an accident –

He was beginning to consider taking off his armour when it occurred to him.

\- Ah, ah in a moment, shh, shh –

Holding the baby with one hand he began to remove the locks on his cape with the other, then he switched the baby on his other side and finished taking it off. 

He wrapped the child in the long cloth. It was not very thick, but the length allowed him to wrap it several times, soon the baby stopped crying.

\- It's been a long day, hasn't it, mate? –

The child gurgled with relief from not feeling cold and snuggled into his arms.

\- Let's take a nap and continue; there is still a long way to go –

He placed the kid in the capsule still wrapped in the cape and sat down, would it always be like this?

He began to doubt his ability to make it right.

Once the kid fell asleep, he took off and entered the coordinates of the destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soon the narrative will move forward and get complicated, I promise, but I am a simple woman and I can't resist the idea of little stories of Mando being just a dad.  
> If you have any idea or scenario of Mando practicing the parenthood I'd like to read it!


	4. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the destination planet, Mando and baby face a storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again.  
> As an extended comment on this update, I must say that this is more of a blurb type but it has to do a bit with the plot so following the advice of my best friend/wife I used it as a chapter.  
> As always, feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.

**CHAPTER 4**

**“Storm”**

When the planet finally appeared in front of both of them, Mando allowed himself to sigh in relief.   
It had been difficult days. Half lost in the vastness of the galaxy and without having seen a single planet in more time than he would like.  
Why had The Armorer sent them there?  
He didn't doubt her but couldn't stop thinking about it either. 

They were a long way from any jump into hyperspace, nearby planets were days away, and supplies might not be enough for their return.  
Initially, he had planned to stock up again but worried about the kid safety; he had not wanted to land on the planets full of mercenaries, allies of the empire or allies of the new republic.   
They were no longer persecuted, but he had known for some time that someone like him had a limited number of allies and history had proved that both sides were not entirely friends of Mandalorians.  
He could not help but think of Kuiil, and a bittersweet feeling settled in his chest, he would always be grateful to him.

Upon entering the atmosphere, the relief turned into uneasiness when they were greeted by a storm that made it impossible to see and had forced him to depend on the automatic landing system; the tracking fob had begun to blink steadily.  
As soon as they touched down, he took the baby in his arms and hurried to the cargo area intending to keep him safe from the sound of hail hitting the cabin.

The baby's cry echoed as the thunder threatened to destroy the ship and the wind shouted at them from outside.  
\- Shh, you are safe –  
Mando wrapped the baby tightly in the cloak, making sure to cover his ears in an attempt to protect him from the noise and with the kid in his arms, he climbed back into the cabin.  
He sat on the floor, leaning his back against the firmly closed door to try to mitigate the noise of the wind that made the child tremble. 

The rain was pounding heavily, he shuddered to find the sound too similar to gunshots, the baby cried again, and he held him tighter.   
\- Do not cry anymore; you are warm and safe –  
The child whimpered exhaustedly. In his mind, Mando recited a prayer that the kid would soon fall asleep.  
The baby shuddered, and he felt a painful twinge in his chest as he heard the fearful whimpers.   
Without thinking, he rocked the baby and with his free hand, slowly began to pat him lightly on the chest.  
\- It's just rain. The rain helps plants grow –  
Mando whispered to him; the baby looked at him with teary eyes.  
\- Nothing can happen to you inside here –  
His voice sounded strange to him for the first time, and he wondered if there was any point in trying to be soft when the voice modulator makes him sound almost mechanical.   
\- No matter how scary it is, I'll protect you –  
He wondered if the noise brought back stressful memories to the kid. After all, with the size of his ears, probably everything sounded very scary. 

Mando knew how terrifying memories could be.   
\- Don't be afraid; I am here –  
The baby curled up as much as possible with the limited mobility of being a burrito and stared at him with heavy eyes.   
\- Shh, shh, close your eyes and sleep –  
Another thunder echoed, the child jumped, but even though his eyes filled with tears, he didn't sob again.  
\- You are a fearless little bundle, aren't you?–  
The baby pouted.   
Unaware that the kid couldn't see him, he smiled proudly and slowly rocked him again.  
\- Of course, you are brave –  
He kept rocking and patting him lightly on the chest, the hours passed slowly, and the rain finally lightened little by little.

With the sunrise, the clouds cleared, relieved, Mando allowed himself to get up from the floor and leave the baby still asleep in the capsule.  
Sore from being in one position for many hours, he stretched and listened as his body complained.   
Exhausted from lack of sleep, Mando sat in the pilot's seat; he would only sleep for a little, a couple of hours.  
When he woke up, he was even sorer, and the sky was covered with clouds again, but it was not raining.

The kid was quietly playing with his favourite metal ball.  
\- Are you ready to go exploring? –  
The child raised his ears, pleased to hear him, and giggled.  
\- Then, let's go –  
As soon as the Razor Crest's side door opened, the cold, damp weather hit them head-on.  
\- It seems that you should stay in your capsule, it is still too humid –  
A little against his will Mando put the kid in the capsule, he couldn't allow him to get damp again, he had been very close to getting sick the day he fell into the pond for chasing frogs.

He closed the door of the ship, turned on the tracking fob and began to enter the forest following the signal of the red light.   
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, he had hoped that they would not have to climb it. It seemed like a long and challenging climb, the clouds began to gather, and the temperature dropped slowly, presaging rain.  
If the storm caught them on their way up, it could be too dangerous.

They walked for hours, trying to surround as much of the terrain as possible and in the background of his mind, Mando hoped that the tracking fob would guide them away from the mountain. Unfortunately, the signal remained stable and unchanged.  
\- It seems that we will have to go up –  
He turned to look at the baby who was trying to play with one of the long soft purple flowers that rose between them, so high that it reached his knees.  
\- Do you think it's a good idea? –  
The baby babbled, and Mando sighed.   
\- Fine, but it's your idea –  
The kid's laugh almost made him smile.  
\- To the misstep hurry –  
He walked to the side of the mountain and began to examine the safest way to climb. It was not too steep, and if the riflescope did not fail, there was a pronounced rest at a considerable height that could serve as a shelter in an emergency. 

Taking advantage of the shape of the mountain, they began to climb.  
The tracking fob began to blink with a little more insistence, and he wondered if it had been a good idea to bring the child to the exploration. What if It was dangerous?   
The thunder that announced the beginning of the rain answered him; it was more dangerous to leave the kid alone in the ship with another storm approaching.  
\- Sorry womp rat, it seems that you will have to stay inside –  
Ignoring the baby's sad moan, he closed the capsule just in time; the rain began to fall calmly but continuously, just the kind of rain that soaks you to the bone.

They were a little more than halfway, coming back would only make him soak more, and the baby was safe from the rain, so he decided to keep going.  
A chill made him miss the cape that now served as a blanket for the boy, and he forced himself not to think about the jetpack he had left on the ship.   
As the hours passed, the cold and frustration served as an incentive for him, and he advanced at a steady pace. 

He cursed aloud as he realized that what he believed was the rest of the mountain was actually an extension of the slope.   
The real rest was further up.   
Mando could see a part of the construction of what looked like the entrance to a mine.  
\- Perfect –  
He heard the baby whimper inside the pod, probably cold, and felt guilty.  
\- Sorry, I should have left you on the ship –  
"Or have taken the damn jetpack" he was tired, and the change in height threatened to take his breath away, the kid whimpered again.  
\- Almost there womp rat –  
He cursed himself for waiting too long to go up, if he hadn't wasted their time at the foot of the mountain, they would have reached the top and avoided the storm that was hitting them now.

"Stupid" Mando said to himself and almost fell from the slippery slope.  
He was sore from the effort, could not hear clearly because of the constant rain hitting the helmet and because of the same reason he couldn't see correctly.  
\- This was a bad idea –  
Finally, the structure of the mine seemed within reach, and if he could, he would have sighed.

It was difficult to breathe, and it felt that his limbs would fall from the effort and the cold. He continued to climb until he reached the mountain's rest.  
As he hugged the capsule that he had to push up the last few meters, the sky had darkened, and the light of the helmet didn't help too much due to the strong storm that hit them with hail for the last hour. 

Still pushing the capsule and planting his feet well in the sea of mud and stone that was the soil, he advanced the necessary meters to reach what definitely was a mine.   
Mando left the capsule at the entrance, walked deeper into the opening in the rock and sighed with relief when at last he could see with a little more clarity thanks to the light of the helmet.

When he took out the tracking fob, there was no noise.   
\- Dammit –  
He shook it in an attempt to make it work, there was no response, with an angry sigh he dropped it on the floor.   
The child made a noise, and he turned to see what was happening.  
\- Are you all right? –  
Mando took a step towards the capsule.   
At his feet, the tracking fob began to sound without stopping, and the red light blinked insistently.

Before he even thought about it, he was knocked down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been working on character design for the fanfictions that I publish in Spanish and although this story is relatively in diapers, I was wondering if it would be something that would interest you for this fanfiction too, if so please leave a comment or tell me on Tumblr.


	5. Morut´yc brat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "At the top of the mountain, there is a place…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again :)  
> Here the plot begins to reveal itself a little. This chapter took a little longer due to the Mando’a and I should add that my grammar is probably wrong so I'm almost sure that my Mando’a translation is wrong but I wanted to give it a try anyway because the story requires it.  
> As always I remind you that the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.

**CHAPTER 5**

**“Morut'yc brat”**

When he fell to the floor because of the impact on his chest, a hooded figure threw itself at him. 

Mando responded to the attack with a hit to the head, but the figure read the movement and dodged it with speed. 

Taking advantage of the position, he sat down, held it by the torso and threw it aside.

He listened to the body fall and made use of the seconds of advantage to change the modality of the visor, now he could see it in the darkness, a bandana covered half of its face and the other half was kept hidden by the hood.

Mando brought his hand to the blaster and realized that it was missing from the holster, the figure began to walk with its fists raised, without looking away he brought his other hand to the rifle, it was not in its place either. 

Raising his fists, he looked sideways at the capsule and tried to measure the distance between the hooded figure and the baby.

He moved first, and the enemy followed him in the motion; they collided in the middle of the cave. 

Mando took the initiative by hitting him in the ribs; his opponent's response was a kick to his knee.

The impact made him bend in pain, but he remained alert.

The figure tried to hit his neck with its forearm, and he protected himself with his bracers, the characteristic sound of the beskar hitting beskar confused him, making him hesitate for a moment.

His indecision echoed in the opponent, so Mando took the opportunity and using the leg he had on the ground for momentum, he launched himself with all his weight against the enemy.

Mando fell on top of his foe and tried to take it by the neck; the punch to the joint of the shoulder made him hiss in pain.

Then he responded with a well-placed hit to the right side, to his surprise the figure curled into his arm pulling him forward; the echo of the punch against the helmet left him dizzy and made him see points of light.

He fell sideways on impact; his opponent took advantage and walked away. 

Mando shook his head in an attempt to alleviate the dizziness and stood, ready to continue the fight. When his opponent raised its arms in surrender, he froze.

\- Ni trikari – (I apologize) 

The female voice did not surprise him at all but the Mando' a. How hard had she hit him?

\- Ni ne' ru narsi aarar gar – (I didn't mean to hurt you)

Neither of them moved. 

\- Ni cabur kranak - (I am the guardian of the fort)

The woman took off her hood and uncovered her face from the bandana.

\- Gedet' ye duumir ni tengaanargar – (Please let me show you)

She moved very slowly and making sure he could see her hands all the time she took off both gloves, put them on the combat belt she was wearing and raised her hands again.

\- Gedet' ye haa'taylir – (Please look)

She showed him her right hand, on the knuckles the word "green" (soldier) at the back a Jaig Eye gleamed in contrast to the skin with a subtle shade of green. On the back of her left hand, a bantha surrounded by flowers caught his attention.

Seeing the same symbol as the coin the Armorer had given, made him finally lower his fists, the woman sighed in relief.

\- Ner gai Naran- (My name is Naran)

Seeing that he didn't answer her, the woman sighed and continued speaking with her arms still in surrender.

\- Olarom par Morut' yc bral - (Welcome to the safe hill fort) 

The baby made a noise from the capsule; for a moment, he had forgotten about him.

\- What is this place? –

The woman, Naran, frowned. Did she only speak Mando' a?

\- A safe place, a refuge for mando' ade -

He sighed but couldn't relax.

\- I can turn on the lights and take you to the main room -

Forgetting that they were in darkness, he nodded, and she pulled a little control from her boot. 

As soon as the lights were on, she raised her arms again in surrender.

\- You can take your weapons; I will not move –

Without taking his eyes off her, he changed the mode of the visor and looked around.

The rifle was under the capsule and the blaster a few steps from her. He took the rifle, reactivated the tracking in the capsule and walked at her side; she turned around still with her arms raised.

When he took the blaster, he wondered if he should put it away. 

\- It's okay. You can point at me until you believe me –

There was no offence or anxiety in her voice, so he decided not to save the blaster.

She advanced, with her arms raised at the sides of her head, to a wall far from the cave entrance. 

\- The door opens with a coin; it's on my thigh –

Mando saw her hesitate, probably aware of the blaster pointed at her back. He decided to go ahead with the coin that The Armorer had given him.

\- Like this one? –

Naran took it without turning; he heard her gasp when she saw the Golden coin.

\- Something wrong?–

She denied with her head and brought the coin closer to a particularly smooth rock on the wall, a green light scanned the coin and a camouflaged door opened.

\- Follow me –

Her voice sounded altered, and she was trembling visibly.

He followed her out the door, and the light went out behind them. A long corridor lit with tiny blue lights spread out in front of them.

\- You arrived through the emergency door, and with the storm, the sensors do not work correctly. I was alerted about someone but didn't know it was a Mando' ade –

They walked down until they reached a door that opened as soon as they were in front of it. As they passed through, the light came on, letting him see what she had called "the main room."

A spacious room illuminated with artificial light. Across the room and surrounded by shelves partially occupied with various weapons a door just like the one they had just crossed remained closed.

On his left side, long wooden chairs decorated with black cushions stretched across the entire wall that was decorated with tapestries of war with different Mandalorian symbols, both pacifists and those that characterized the warriors.

On the right side, a corridor extended along it illuminated by amber lights and with a one-step wooden floor. 

\- These are the house rules. It must always be respected, even if you are the only one here –

Mando watched her walk to the centre of the room and followed her gaze; he looked straight at the wall where a tapestry covered it almost entirely.

**Ibic yaim bic naakla Ibic nakar’mir eso Mhi tion an mando’ade**

"This home is neutral, does not recognize sides, we are all children of Mandalore "

**Tebesbe' trayce ven'cuy shi bah cabur te ade Asheso 'la teijaat ven'cuy gratiir tetakisit bah ibic yaim.**

"Weapons are to be used only to protect the children; otherwise, honour will punish the insult to this home."

**Bahtengaanar meg gana o’sosol balnu meg shukurmhi** **Tebuy' ce enteyor cuye jorir ratiin**

"To show what we have in common and not what divides us, the helmet must always be worn."

**Ibice oritsir enteyor hailir ratiin**

"This oath must always be kept".

**Shi'te kembe orit' ra ayn eparavur liser gedetir eyaytir beibic oritsir**

"Only the code call or a celebration can request to escape these rules."

Naran's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

\- If you agree to follow these rules you can stay as long as you want otherwise, I only can offer you a meal, and I'll have to ask you to leave –

Although she was still in a harmless position and with her arms up in surrender, her voice made it clear that it was not debatable. 

\- Ibic'yir te' yust –

Her brown eyes sparkled with confidence; she was serious.

\- This is the way –

Naran nodded pleased, and then she did not move.

\- I'd like to apologize again. I'm not usually so rude, but it has been a stressful week, and you have suffered because of my mistake. I'm sorry –

He watched her duck her head, still with her hands up, and felt her honesty, so he lowered the blaster.

\- I get it; you were protecting your home –

Naran sighed in relief but did not lower her arms; he looked at her, confused for a moment.

"You need to improve your manners." 

Bendak's voice reminded him.

\- K'lamot di' dunla- (Apology accepted)

At last, she relaxed and lowered her arms. The baby's cry was finally heard loudly, and not even the discomfort between them could make them ignore it this time.

\- I thought I heard a baby -

Naran looked at the capsule and walked down the hall to their right.

Mando followed her with his gaze as she sat briefly on the step, and masterfully removed her combat boots.

\- Is he soaked too? –

He shook his head, not wanting to reveal too much.

\- Good, I'll take you to your karyai. You need to change your clothes; it's easy to get sick in this weather -

She walked away, and he hesitated to follow her. 

The kid cried again, so he sat down in the step and taken off his boots with difficulty before walking on the wooden floor; she was not far, waiting for him standing by a heavy metal door. 

\- You can use this karyai; the heather unit works well –

Naran opened the door and entered, turning on the lights. 

\- The refresher has hot water, there are clean kutes in the cabinets, and you can use the one that suits you best. If you need to clean the under armour, we have sonic cleaners in the armouries and a spare one in the larger cabinet although I don't know if it is your size. If it is not, I can make you a new one in a couple of days if necessary -

She was talking at full speed and seemed nervous.

He entered the room and saw her quickly check everything as she spoke.

\- The door locks from inside only, and I'll bring you some dinner as soon as it's ready, you can take a shower in the meantime –

Naran passed him, closing the door as she sped out. 

He made sure the heavy durasteel door closed only on the inside as she said.

The child cried again. Mando opened the capsule, and as soon as he saw him, the baby stopped crying and extended his arms towards him. 

\- I can't carry you it will make you cold –

The kid pouted, almost making him smile.

\- What do you think little womp rat? –

He glanced over the stone walls reinforced with durasteel; they were bare except for a Kyr'bes tapestry placed over the bed. 

On the right side of said bed, three good-sized cabinets claimed the wall; two with double doors and three drawers, one with just a couple of doors, all made of wood. 

He went over and opened the largest one, there hung the spare under armour that Naran had mentioned to him, in the drawers the kutes lay neatly folded, each drawer had a different colour, and he was glad to find one of the same shade of brown from the one he was using. He took one that looked like his size and put the others back in their place. 

In the second cabinet, the drawers had smaller child-size kutes. 

\- I think they are too big for you –

The baby smiled and babbled something.

\- I had not thought about it, but you will need clothes –

He opened the third cabinet, and it was empty, but it was evident that it was intended to be used to store weapons and the tools necessary to maintain them. 

Mando removed the rifle, the belt with the blaster holder, and the ammunition carriers then carefully placed them in the slots designed to hold them and closed the doors to allow them to dry.

After he had laid the kute on the bed, he looked at the other wall, next to the large door, a traditional low wooden table of reasonable size remained empty. 

What caught his attention was the supports for armour, he had not seen such thing in years; to be honest, Mando wasn't sure if he had seen equals since he was a kid. 

A complete set of armour holder, he approached almost reverently.

One made from Opelite, with magnetic supports that would hold the beskar securely, It shone freshly polished under the artificial lights.

One made from sanded Ohria, it would keep the protectors in the correct shape, designed to allow the cleaning and repairing without worrying about softening the leather.

Finally, the two made of aromatic Oantia. 

The first one designed to place the under armour without creasing or wearing out the seams. The second in the shape of a bust for the helmet. 

Of course, every Mandalorian in a traditional clan must have one or even two holders but a complete set; he seemed to be dreaming. 

The material was not especially valuable or difficult to find; what made them unique is that they were designed exclusively for Beskar armour.

He felt a chill; it was too cold.

The kid seemed entertained with a stuffed animal that he had not seen when they arrived. He smiled when he saw it; it was shaped like a blurrg.

Taking advantage of the fact that the child was not paying attention to him, he turned and began to remove the beskar.

Typically he would have removed the cape first and hung it on the small wooden support that was attached to the wall, but his cloak was still the baby's extra blanket, so he started with the Motun'bur.

Piece by piece the armour was removed, placing it in the specific places on the Opelite support. 

With each piece being put in place, it seemed to put together a brilliant puzzle. 

Mando untied the Haalas laces and slipped it over his head, accommodating it into the Ohria holder, carefully removed the Nor'cabur and attached it to the rest of the beskar in the Opelite one. 

He continued with the protectors. When he put them in place in the glossy Ohria, the leather stood out elegantly. 

Then he took off his gloves, and he noticed that there was blood on one, Mando did not give it much importance and cleaned it with the fabric of the kute on his thigh. 

Finally the under armour, he only used the torso part, but when he placed it on the Oantia stand, it seemed to have found its place.

Standing there, only with the soaked kute and the helmet, he wondered what he was doing there.

His gaze slid across the three parts of the warrior, and he felt naked.

Mando couldn't overthink about it because the child made a funny noise that he could not identify and when he looked down, he discovered the kid looking spellbound at the beskar.

\- I know, it's a little overwhelming –

The baby stammered without looking at him and smiled with bright eyes.

\- Don't move; I don't take too long, okay? –

He rushed to the refresher and was surprised to find clean, soft towels.

Accustomed to having limited time, he showered quickly, yet the heat of the water revived him and relieved the pain in his muscles due to fatigue and the fight.

With two fingers, he stroked the fabric of the clothes, it was soft but strong and warm, then dressed almost in a hurry ignoring the bruises that were beginning to appear on his body. 

He dried his hair as best he could and put the helmet back on before stepping out, the baby smiled and ran to meet him at the refresher's door. 

\- What were you doing? –

The child babbled glad to see him, and he picked him up, he had begun to consider trying the under armour from the cabinet when there was a knock on the door.

Mando left the baby in the capsule and hesitated for a moment before reaching the door; he was not wearing armour. 

Restless but not wanting to be rude, he cautiously opened the door, the impression was great when he saw Naran standing at the door with the dark bandana covering her eyes. 

She smiled at him kindly, and he didn't know what to say, the kindness in the smile didn't match the attack from a while ago.

Mando looked at her carefully. 

She was no longer wearing the hood, allowing him to see her long black hair braided in a complicated way. Without the bandana covering them, the tattoos on her cheeks stood out against her brown skin. 

\- I brought dinner –

The smell of food made his stomach growl and embarrassed he opened the door wider to let her in. To his surprise, she knelt at the door, and from behind the wall, she took out two covered bowls, one big and one small.

\- The tiingilar is not very spicy due to my wound, but it doesn't taste bad, tomorrow's will be better seasoned. I brought vegetable broth for the kid and some bread for both of you –

With exact movements, she carefully slid the bowls across the table, then did the same with two clay jugs from different sizes, two cups, two spoons and a pair of cloth napkins.

\- It is an infusion of medicinal herbs it will take away the cold and prevent you from getting sick in this climate; it is important to be careful. Warm milk for the baby, I do not know if he eats by its own, but I do not have bottles, I could improvise one if necessary –

He was about to reply that it was not necessary when the kid appeared from between his legs and stopped in front of her, smiling contentedly. 

Naram did not move but lowered her face.

\- Hello ik' aad, I'm sorry, I have nothing sweet for you –

She smiled at the child, a real smile, warm and friendly.

Very slowly, as if calculating the distance to the sound, she put out her right hand to formally greet the baby who was gurgling contentedly, there was caution in her movements, but she did not hesitate.

Mando saw them shake hands and smile at each other; he knew she can't see anything but still seemed to know exactly where the child's eyes were when she released the small hand she got up.

\- I will come to the dishes in the morning –

He nodded without answering, and as he bent down to pick up the child, he caught a slight smell of burnt. 

Naran took a step back and from behind the opposite wall gently slid a wooden crib.

\- I assumed you would need the cradle so you both can sleep comfortably –

This time she did not move, so he stepped forward and holding the kid in one arm took the crib, inside were soft blankets that smelled like flowers. 

\- Thank you –

She nodded and took another step back.

\- Good night to both of you –

Naran made a quick curtsy and hurried down the hall. Worried that she would trip over because of the bandana, he listened carefully the steady and steady footsteps drifting away.

Mando closed the door and put the crib aside, then with the child in his arms, he sat on the warm wooden floor. 

\- Let's see what we have here –

He placed the child on his lap, opened the small bowl and with one of the spoons that Naram had left on the table began to feed him slowly taking turns between broth, bread and sips of milk. 

The kid smiled pleased with his efficiency and ate happily, making small noises of happiness that caused him more than one smile. 

When the baby finished eating, he left him on the floor and began to install the crib on the right side of the bed. 

\- Alright, bedtime little womp rat –

Mando picked him up and settled him in the crib, wrapping him carefully between the soft and warm blankets then put the small cloth doll next to him and when the kid hugged it he couldn't help stroking his ear.

\- Go to sleep now, okay? –

The baby listened and fell asleep almost immediately. 

When he was sure that the kid would not wake up, he returned to the table and taking care to turn his back to the crib; he took off his helmet.

The smell of the tiingilar was wonderful, with a smile he uncovered the bowl and saw that it was still warm.

It tasted as delicious as it smelled, full of vegetables and meat, he ate heartily soaking the bread in the thick broth.

The infusion revived him and took the cold out of his bones, leaving him tired and strangely comforted when he finished he put the helmet back on and cleaned the table.

He checked that the door was firmly closed and turned off the light leaving the room in total darkness. Because they were underground, the darkness was no joke and made him feel more secure, he walked to the bed and sat on the edge, carefully removing his helmet by placing it on the Oantia holder.

When he leaned back on the soft bed, he left out a sigh of relief as he covered himself with the heavy, warm blanket. 

How could he be so comfortable in a place he did not know?

He fell asleep as soon warmed up.

* * *

MANDO' A

Kute: Piece of clothing that goes under the under armour.

Haalaas: Chest protector that goes under the beskar and before the under armour.

Ni’cabur: Piece of the armour that protects de back.

Ik’aad: Baby (Child under 3 years old)

Buycika: Cradle.

Kyr'bes: Symbol of Mythosaur Skull.

Tiingilar: Mandalorian spicy casserole.

NON-CANON NOTES

Opelite: Metal characterized for its durability and advantage at not rusting regardless of conditions. It is not very strong and easily dented but it is easy to repair.

Ohria: A very common type of tree that grows on many planets in the galaxy. Its wood is strong and knotty, it resists the humidity well.

Oantia: One of the few flowering trees, it is not difficult to find due to its adaptability to almost any terrain where there's rain. The Oantia naturally absorbs moisture, after an artisanal process the wood dries giving off a floral aroma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “At the top of the mountain  
> There is a place where a hermit lives  
> A lady who tamed the big and bad dragon  
> Turning him into a kitten by stealing his heart”


	6. Urakto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mando and baby begin to figure out the reason The Armorer sent them there and start to know a little their new ally but people can be difficult to get to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my human and non-human friends :D  
> I apologize for the delay but the update for my Criminal Minds fanfiction arrived and everyting was a little messy.  
> The feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.  
> As an extra warning, this chapter contains moderate violence and fluff.

**CHAPTER 6**

**“Urakto”**

Mando stretched, and although he was still in pain, he was no longer tired. The darkness gave him a pleasant welcome when he opened his eyes; as a child, he had been terrified of the darkness until life had taught him that there were more terrifying things.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he heard the baby sigh still asleep.

Mando put on the helmet as soon as he got up and the visor mode changed automatically, relieved that the under armour and the protectors were dry he began to dress.

With each piece of beskar placed in its place, he began feeling like himself again.

The kid's coo made him hurry to turn on the light, as soon as he turned around, the baby smiled at him with the fluffy blurrg firmly held in his hands.

\- Did you sleep well? -

The child made a noise and stretched gracefully, when Mando was next to him, he held out his arms.

\- Let's go womp rat -

He pulled him out of the crib and laid him on the warm floor. Then took the dirty dishes that were still ordered on the table and opened the door, the smell of food made his mouth water, the kid ran away.

Now that he was calm, he could afford to look around.

The wood and durasteel details, the corridor that had seemed narrow last night now opened in front of him letting him see the end and the multiple doors identical to the one he had just left open, he turned a corner and a small salon extended in front of him.

On the opposite side of the room a wooden door marked with the inscription "Armory" in black, to his left a durasteel door without engraving and next to it, separated by a narrow corridor, another wooden door marked "Infirmary" in the same typography.

\- Good morning ik'aad, did you sleep well? –

Naran's voice made him look to his left, a half door made of wood remained open.

\- Are you hungry? -

Her voice sounded happy.

When he entered the kitchen, Naran was holding the baby in her arms, and he was chewing on a piece of something that looked like breakfast fruit.

\- Good day -

As soon as she saw Mando enter, she put the kid down, earning a sad look from the child.

\- Good day -

He replied, trying not to sound awkward when she approached and took the dishes off his hands.

\- The lunch is ready-

After leaving the dirty dishes in a sink behind her, Naran began to fill and arrange dishes on a metal tray.

\- It's boiled meal grain and Bantha Butter Pancakes -

The smell gave him a warm feeling, and he felt bad that he had to reject it.

\- Cassius tea and Bantha milk -

The child smiled when Naran addressed him with a polite nod.

\- We can talk when you finish your meal -

Feeling out of place and not knowing how to express it without sounding rude, he took the tray when she offered it to him but didn't move.

\- Something wrong? -

He looked down, uncomfortable that she looked him to the eye even with the helmet on.

\- It's too much food -

Naran looked at him, confused and frowned slightly.

\- It's enough for both of you, and I'm sure it was a long trip. You need to regain strength -

His shoulders tensed as the baby gurgled at his feet.

How do you tell her that he only ate at night when the baby was asleep or when someone else was taking care of him?

Mando didn't trust her enough to leave the child with her, and he didn't want to say it out loud.

He didn't want to sound ungrateful to the person who had given them a roof and food.

\- The child's portion is enough –

An awkward silence extended, she looked between him and the child, and he could feel the moment when her mind put everything in order.

\- Is he suspicious of strangers? -

Something in her brown eyes told him that she wasn't referring to the baby even if her words said otherwise.

He was about to answer to her when from a bag tied to her waist she took out a tracking fob that began to sound as soon she turned it on.

\- I fixed it this morning -

Naran took the small bowl, the bottle of milk and one of the spoons from the tray then put them on a small table on his right.

\- Hey Ik' aad –

She knelt and spoke directly to the child in a soft voice, and he gave her his full attention.

\- Is it okay if you stay with me for a while? Dad needs to eat -

The baby looked at him with big eyes, and as if he understands what she means walked to her and let her lift him. 

\- You can close both doors; this is one of the places in the whole mountain that can be isolated from the outside with a Korm'rk -

There was no softness in her voice, not for him, but there was no resentment or hostility either.

The understanding in her gaze made him feel uncomfortable.

\- With the tracking fob is enough -

She nodded, and when she turned to look at the kid, she smiled warmly.

\- You're lucky Ik'aad; boiled meal grain is one of my specialities -

Naran and the child smiled at each other happily.

As soon as they sit on the floor in front of the table, they forgot about him. When the kid did not turn to look at him, he felt an uncomfortable twinge in his chest.

Still restless but calmer thanks to the tracking fob, he returned to his room, closed the door and took off his helmet.

The boiled meal grain was delicious, and the sweet and hearty pancakes brought back happy memories, so Mando ate serenely.

The meal was so comforting that he almost felt bad when it was over, but he didn't want to think about it too much. He put on his helmet, cleared the table, turned off the tracking fob and left the room.

Before entering the kitchen, he stared at the scene in front of him.

Naran walked around the place, holding the baby with her left arm and resting him resting against her hip while doing different chores. The kid held on to her long-sleeved grey robe with one hand and held a piece of fruit in the other which he bit from time to time, smiling with the corners of his mouth stained in juice.

\- Really? -

The child babbled and gestured releasing the robe, she smiled.

\- It sounds amazing -

The thick dark braid fell near the baby, and he held it with a babble.

\- What do you want to do next? -

Mando could not describe the feeling in his stomach to witness that little moment.

The baby's giggle made Naran turn, and they both saw him at the same time. The smile disappeared from her face, and she put the kid down carefully.

\- Thank you -

It was the only thing he could say when she reached over and took the tray to put the dirty utensils in the empty sink.

\- We can talk in the nursery so the little one can be distracted -

He nodded taking the baby in his arms, then followed her out of the kitchen and through the narrow corridor that separated the infirmary and what he supposed was a bedroom until they reached a durasteel door with the mark "Nursery".

Before entering, Naran pointed to another wooden door at the end of a wide corridor with three doors.

\- That is the second armoury, I just replaced the door, so it isn't marked yet, but you can use it without a problem -

Seeing that the other two doors on each side of the corridor were also made of durasteel, he began to notice the pattern.

The private rooms had a durasteel door, the shared rooms wooden doors.

\- You should change the visor mode -

Mando watched her remove the bandana from her arm and place it over the baby's head, then opened the door.

The natural light was a strange change.

Using the bandana to help the kid adapt to the change of light, he entered the room, and as soon as the little child could see, he struggled to be let go.

Mando left him on the floor while he examined the room.

The focal point was the large window to his right that let in natural light but at being carved out on the rock and covered with what he supposed was transparisteel it kept the sun from hitting too hard and increasing the temperature.

Across the spacious room, another durasteel door remained closed. On the left wall, a large cabinet was surrounded by two pieces of furniture, one partially filled with books and one with some toys and other materials.

At the two corners of the same wall, two wooden doors stood out due to the deterioration of their condition.

Naran watched the kid run to the cabinet with toys then sat down on the mat that covered the centre of the room.

\- It's been a long time since a child played here -

When Mando sat across from her, he began to examine the tattoos on her cheekbones.

The one under her right eye were four scales drawn in black ink that stood out on her beige skin illuminated by the sunlight; it was interesting, but the tattoo under her left eye was the one that intrigued him the most.

Also in black ink, it was a thick line that followed the shape of her eye, cutting a ring attached to what looked like the lower points of a triangle and with a triangle standing out at the end.

From a distance, it looked like an intricate tear, and he was sure he had seen it before, but he couldn't remember where.

The tattoo on her neck made him shiver, a thick black line that surrounded it.

\- You are from the enclave of Nevarro, right? -

Surprised to have been staring at her, he could only nod.

He looked down and the tattoos that stood out on her bare hands, he couldn't look at them carefully due to the glitter of the golden coin that distracted him, is that how she had known?

\- I'm sorry for your loss -

Exalted by the distressed tone in her voice, he looked at her.

Mando expected to see pity in her eyes, but from the way her dark eyebrows arched and the gesture of her lips; the only thing he could see in her expression was sadness.

A sadness too similar to the one he felt when he thought of the enclave.

\- Should the child go to vencuyot? –

The question snapped him out of his thoughts, and his voice sounded harder than he intended.

\- What do you mean? -

Naran startled and hung her head embarrassed, seeing her stir uncomfortably left him with a bitter taste.

\- I'm sorry. I'm a little, difficult when it comes to him -

His voice sounded harsh and annoyed, so he expected her to react defensively or find anger in her gaze. When she looked up, in her brown eyes, there was only benevolence.

Mando felt an emptiness in his stomach.

\- I apologize it was my mistake -

His pulse quickened, and his hands began to sweat under his gloves, fearful of what the tears in Naran's eyes might mean. He fell silent.

\- You have not sworn to the child. So I assumed that The Armorer had sent him here to be reunited with the others -

He gasped and for a moment, forgot how to speak.

"To be reunited with the others."

His gasp and the tears wetting the inside of the helmet didn't seem real.

\- They are alive -

If Naran perceived the brokenness of his voice through the modulator, he would never know because her expression didn't change. Although if he had looked more closely, he might have seen her lower lip tremble.

\- When the Imperials attacked them in Nevarro, I was on a nearby planet. I received an emergency message and got there as fast as I could -

The child seemed to sense the wave of emotions stirring inside him because he reached out at him and hugged his left arm.

Naran smiled when she saw him.

\- With the help of some brothers, we were able to elude the imperials and take out the foundlings from the planet. Then with the help of my sister, we took them to vencuyot. It is a refuge, for foundlings who have lost their clans -

Mando took the kid and sat him on his lap, still without words.

\- The Armorer didn't tell you? –

There was a spark that he couldn't identify in her voice, and although he wanted to, he couldn't think about it.

The only thing He could think about was his last meeting with The Armorer.

\- Imperials were chasing us, and there were people from outside the enclave, friends for me but strangers for her. I think she didn't trust them so she couldn't tell me too much. She helped us run away. She stayed behind -

Something changed in Naran because she stayed very still, and her gaze hardened.

\- That was a long time ago? –

The gentleness of her voice was gone leaving behind no emotion at all.

\- A couple of weeks ago -

Naran took a breath and asked.

\- Do you think she's still alive? -

He looked into her eyes, trying to send her calm with his body language, but she didn't look at him.

Her eyes were fixed on a point far behind him.

\- I don't know -

With her back very straight and her hands clutching the coin, Naran nodded solemnly.

\- I understand -

The child stared at her and got off his lap. When he walked to her, Naran smiled at him with tearful eyes.

\- Are you still being persecuted? -

If there was a small spark of mistrust towards her, hidden somewhere in his heart, it disappeared when he saw her hug the baby. The protective aura reassured him too.

\- As far I know, no -

Naran sighed in relief and began to rock the baby gently.

\- So maybe she just wanted a place where you could be safe -

Mando smiled gratefully at her intention to protect them even though she did not know the danger they had been faced.

He did not doubt her good intentions but seeing her cradle the baby; he could not imagine her fighting imperials.

\- I have to reunite him with his people-

Naran nodded and made a pout with her lips.

\- He's too young for training, wouldn't survive -

The kid smiled and began to play with the dark braid when it accidentally fell from Naran's shoulder.

\- The Armorer gave us a hint; she said he could be a Jedi -

Naran reacted to the word and looked up in surprise.

\- A Jedi? They are enemies of the Mando'ade -

He nodded without questioning too much why she would know.

\- If you have to take him with his people. She didn't send them here to seek refuge. -

Naran handed the baby over to him and got up from the mat.

The baby gurgled, annoyed at the change of hands.

-She sent you for the books-

They both watched Naran search for something in the bookshelf.

\- The books? -

\- This place was opened after the Siege of Mandalore. We have received refugees from many parts of the galaxy since then -

When she found what she was looking for, she sat down in front of them again.

\- This place was not founded only with the intention that the sons of Mandalore would have a safe shelter. Our original mission was to protect war orphans, foundlings who had lost their home, their protector or simply couldn't return home -

The book that Naran placed in front of him almost reverently was heavy and looked old.

Handmade. With a soft brown leather cap that had a Bantha engraved, the same bantha of the coin and tattooed on Naran's hand.

\- Our duty is to protect them, take care of them and reunite them with their clans. Helping them get home was difficult, especially after the civil war. Then my mother thought that this would help -

He opened the book and on the first sheet, the Bantha and a Kyr'bes symbol occupied equal spaces.

\- We ask all the Mando'ade to write the planets that they have visited and the species that live on them. As well as the clans that they have had contact with on that planet if they had any. To help foundlings return to their original clan -

He changed the page, and the first report appeared.

It started with a clan symbol in the upper right of the page and a brief description of who wrote the report, with no name of course.

It followed with a list of planets and on each a description of the native species.

If he could found a description similar to the Jedi, he could take the child to the mentioned planet.

\- This is the latest book. You look in it, and I'll look in the family journals for information on the Jedi. If they are enemies, maybe there's something that would help you to know what to expect –

Naran was about to get up when he stopped her.

\- Wait, are there more of these? -

She sat down again.

\- It' s the only one from Mando'ade I have here. My mother wrote the family diary, and she gave it to me at the same time as the guardian position. The other ten Mando'ade books and the six of the refugees are in Vencuyot -

Mando sighed a little overwhelmed.

She let him take a breath and reorganize his thoughts.

\- Did The Armorer know about this? -

Naran nodded.

\- She has been here and has sent some brothers in need -

He saw her look at the coin in a way that he couldn't describe.

\- The Armorer warned you of the attack -

Naran smiled slightly.

\- I was at a job in Rothana. As soon as I found out, I took a ship and arrived just in time. We took the children out and guarded them in Sedesia until my sister arrived with her ship and took us to Vencuyot -

The sadness in her voice returned, and this time she did not try to hide it.

\- Three brothers escorted us; we lost one. His name was Kal Passik, his funeral was in Vencuyot, and we carved his name on one of the walls in the main room. In that way, none of the children will forget his name -

Mando didn't recognize the name, but he'll never forget it either.

Naran took a breath and continued her narrative.

\- When I was able to travel again, I took his armour back to Nevarro. That was the last time I saw The Armorer –

Tears welled up in her eyes again but didn't spill.

\- Thank you -

Naran nodded. He was about to say something when a sound broke the moment, from her bag Naran took out a sensor beacon.

\- What's going on? -

She got up from the mat and put the sensor back in the bag.

-The lift sensor was activated and can only be activated with one coin -

He also got up with the kid in his arms.

\- Can the door be secured from the outside? -

Naran nodded, and he put the child down.

\- It won't take me too long -

After caressing his ear they left, then closed the door from the outside using the coin.

Mando went to his room without waiting for her.

\- See you at the main entrance -

He could sense that she wanted to protest and reject his help, but she knew it would be rude, so she didn't. He heard her walk hurriedly down the opposite hallway from the kitchen.

Hastily he put his belt back on, the blaster with its holster, the long ammunition carrier and the rifle, the short ammunition carrier was still in his boot.

When Mando reached the entrance to put on his boots, Naran was already there.

She was wearing her combat boots and leather gloves; she also wore a tactical belt and an ammunition bag tied to her thigh.

The bandana covered half of her face and she was finishing putting on a black armband decorated with flowers.

\- Mando' ade? -

Mando finished putting on his boots, and Naran opened the massive door.

\- Maybe -

What confused him was that she did not take any weapons when they left, the door closed behind them.

\- Can someone not Mando' ade get here? –

He glanced around the cave that served as the entrance, clearly seemed manipulated by machinery. On each side was a long metal shelf and to his left two unmarked durasteel doors.

\- Since the purge, some coins and tracking fobs have gone into the hands of mercenaries and other unpleasant people. The tracking fobs don't work correctly because of the storms, but the coin can guide them here -

Naran's body language had changed; Mando felt it as soon as he saw her activate a button on her left armband.

Four durasteel plates emerged from the floor, each one about one and a half meters high, he was about to ask why they needed them when the shooting started.

Mando tried to take her by the arm, but she threw him aside with unexpected force, knocking him to the ground.

When he looked for her, he saw her on the opposite side of the cave, skipping the first durasteel plate.

Blocking the shots with his armband, he rose to return fire, and everything moved very fast.

As soon as Mando drew the enemy fire, Naran moved at full speed and jumped over the second metal plate then taking advantage of the momentum launched herself against the enemy, who saw her too late because being focused on him.

Naran knocked him down by hitting him in the chest with her right knee while deflecting a shot with her left armband, soon the hand holding the blaster was broken due to a hit from her right armband, and the weapon slid across the floor.

Mando recognized the movement with which she subdued the guy. If he weren't wearing beskar, he probably would have ended up with a pair of broken ribs, just like the poor man in the floor.

When the man stopped resisting, the shelves returned to their place, and he approached them.

\- Who are you? -

Naran asked, and the guy growled.

\- I don't like repeating myself -

Her voice sounded almost lifeless.

\- Bitch! -

The guy pulled a vibroblade from the sleeve of his healthy arm, but Naran dodged the movement and with her left hand held the man's hand firmly against her body, the vibroblade mere inches away from her neck.

The sound of the arm breaking from the impact of Naran's right armband was muted by the man's scream.

\- Try something else, and I'll break your legs too-

The coldness in her words when she said it. As an absolute fact, as something that seems imminent, surprised him.

A few minutes ago, that same voice had exuded tenderness, compassion, and kindness.

\- Your name -

The man, clearly dressed as a bounty hunter, growled again.

\- Malius Kaal -

Naran nodded in satisfaction and stood up.

\- Malius Kaal, I want you to pay attention because you're going to die today –

Malius gritted his teeth and looked at Naran with pure hate.

\- It is in your hands whether it is fast or slow. It all depends on you telling me the truth -

Mando looked for any sign of emotion in Naran's features but found nothing.

Her face had frozen in a mask of indifference that not only he could not read, but a part of him also could not bear to look at her.

\- What happened to the Mando from which you took the coin? -

Malius stirred painfully and seemed to consider the situation, he looked from Naran to him, and as soon as he assimilated his defeat, he began to laugh.

\- I found him wandering after the Imperials massacred them. I took off his helmet and left him bleed to death under the sun -

Mando felt the anger go through his entire body, but he swallowed a curse and didn't move. He recognized a lie when he heard it and Naran too.

\- If you think that by making him angry, you will accelerate this, you are wrong. He is the least of your worries-

Naran started looking for something in her belt, and Malius must have thought it was an opportunity because he tried to kick her. Stupid.

She was already waiting for it, using one hand she grasped his leg and with the hit of the other armband the knee joint broke cleanly. Malius's scream echoed in the cave.

\- I don't threaten Malius. I promise –

Naran dropped his leg, and from her thigh bag, she took out a

hypoinjector loaded with blue liquid.

\- My mother taught me how to make this serum, it hurts a lot, but it'll make you honest. It's your last chance -

Malius spat at her, staining her bandana.

\- You are a Daughter of Bantha! -

Naran removed the bandana from her face and smiled.

That smile would have flooded Malius' nightmares if that wasn't his last day of life.

\- I know it -

Without warning, she plunged the needle deep into the thigh of his healthy leg, as the liquid disappeared Malius writhed more and more in pain.

\- How did you get the coin? -

Malius tried to resist, but the pain broke him.

\- I found the Mando dead in Obana. He had been persecuted and was very wounded; he died hidden. I took the fob thinking it was a job and the coin had no value, but the coordinates brought me here -

Naran nodded and took the syringe out from his leg.

Malius began to sweat.

\- What did you do with his body? -

With a painful shudder, Malius took a breath.

\- I took off the armour and burned his body -

Naran put the now empty hypoinjector back in her bag.

\- What did you do to the armour? -

Malius struggled with himself, trying to hold back the words but lost it.

\- It's on my ship. I thought I could sell it when I got back with the asset -

She walked away and took Malius's blaster.

\- You're from the guild, does Karga know you're here? -

The man bit his lip, but the serum made him speak anyway.

\- Yes -

He heard her gasp and saw her clench her teeth.

Mando got worried, he didn't know about Naran and Karga's relationship, but it didn't seem friendly.

\- Did he try to stop you from coming? -

He held his breath and could see that she did it too.

\- He warned me that if I came here, I wouldn't come back -

His relief reflected when Naran sighed and closed her eyes.

\- Your guild emblem, I need it -

Malius looked exhausted with his expression broken by pain.

\- It's in my ship -

Naran returned with the blaster in hand and stood in front of Malius looking into his eyes.

\- Do you have a family? -

\- No -

The man sighed sadly.

\- Is there a place you want to go back to? -

Malius didn't look away from Naran's eyes when she pointed the blaster at him.

\- I always thought I would die on my ship -

Naran nodded and lowered the blaster.

\- So be it-

She looked to the sky, Malius followed her gaze and sighed.

It was an unexpected but clean shot.

* * *

MANDO'ADE NOTES

Urakto: Hard / Difficult

Ik’aad: Baby (Under 3 years old)

Korm’rk: Armband

Vencuyot: It literally translates as future.

Kyr´bes: Mythosaur Skull symbol

Boiled mealgrain: Porridge prepared with grains of flour in water, a common Mandalorian dish for breakfast.

Cassius Tea: A type of tea mixed with flowers from the Cassius tree.

EXTRA NOTES

Hypoinjector: Device used to inject serum that weakens a prisoner's mind and makes him cooperative during interrogations.

Sensor beacon (legends version): It is a security and alarm scanner that is implemented around large areas to alert owners of intruders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: I am following the canon of the series, the information of legends and much of my imagination so I am no authority in Mandalorian culture. I'm basing a lot on the wookieepedia timeline and a timeline that I found on the internet so the dates may not be correct and the ages may be different.
> 
> My new Tumblr is: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/adlerorzel-blog  
> [For questions, requests and future extras]


	7. Childhood tales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairy tales always have something real

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people! :)  
> I’m sorry for the delay but these have been difficult days, luckily I have survived and here is the chapter.  
> I remind you that I’m following the canon of the series, the information of legends and much of my invention so I’m no authority in Mandalorian culture.  
> And as always the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes

**CHAPTER 7**

**“Childhood tales”**

He saw her glance down the hall to her right, her eyes screaming anxiety and her posture seemed ready for a fight. Every time he moved, Naran stirred a little more, so he tried to stay very still. 

Mando tried to guess what was going through her mind, but nothing occurred to him, and the unpleasant feeling in his stomach increased when he saw her clench her fists so hard that her knuckles stuck out.

His mouth opened to speak but made no sound, and he sighed in defeat when she looked at him sideways as if he was going to shoot her at any moment.

The thought of everything that had happened crossed his mind.

After Malius' death, he had helped her carry the body to the ship where together they searched for the guild emblem and the stolen armour. They had both been extra quiet after finding it in a cabinet, dirty and neglected.

Naran found the guild emblem then she installed an explosive on the ship and activated the autopilot after entering coordinates.

Upon returning to the shelter, she took the armour to the armoury, and he went for the baby.

When they met her, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that Naran had prepared a funeral chest.

Leaving the kid on the floor, Mando sat next to her and helped her clean the beskar until it was well polished. Once finished, they put the armour in the velvet-covered metal box.

In front of the large tapestry in the main hall Naran prepared a funeral altar, he had not seen one in years.

He was painfully used to Kote Kyr'am * and communal graves, both quick and efficient methods, designed to be used after battles. 

The recollection of the beskar depended on the members of the clan and was solely for its foundry.

With the funerary altar seated in front of the tapestry and lit with some candles, he Heard her begin the funeral chant.

**Motir ca’tra nau tracinya. Gra’tua cuun hett su dralshy’a. Cuun hett su…**

**"Those standing in front of us light up the burning night sky. Our revenge still burns bright. Still burns bright…"**

With the baby in his arms, Mando began to sing too, and the kid remained still, listening carefully until the singing ended.

Naran rose from the ground when the explosive alarm started to sound in her bag and looked at them for a moment, the first look she had directed to them since Malius' arrival. 

It seemed to mean something, so he instinctively opened the door of the shelter and Naran nodded her thanks, then left.

Something inside him told him to follow her, and he did so.

Mando followed her at a safe distance and watched her stop before the place where Malius had died; he was grateful that there was no blood. 

Naran stood very still, looking up at the sky waiting for the explosion.

The sound of the ship's destruction preceded the onset of the storm.

As soon as the drops began to touch the ground and the lightning flashed, he turned to enter. 

The baby pointed out that they were alone; he looked at her. She was on her knees under the rain.

Mando wanted to speak to her, but the solemn atmosphere didn't allow it.

As if in a trance, Naran stood in the rain with her eyes closed and her head lowered humbly. 

The time passed, and when he saw her shiver with cold, he gathered his resolve to speak to her. The kid was faster.

The baby noise seemed to wake her up, and she got up calmly, walked over to them and stopped still with her eyes downcast.

\- There are ration packs in the kitchen and some fruits. I must apologize because I'll not be able to accompany you today -

There was something strange in her voice, and Mando wasn't the only one who perceived it. The child raised his arms towards her, but Naran only softly denied and headed back inside.

Heart heavy, he followed her back. The child cried when she took off her boots in a hurry and started to walk away down the hall, upon hearing him, she hesitated but clenching her fists didn't turn around and walked faster.

Mando had had to persist for the baby to eat, the bland taste of the ration packs wasn't particularly appealing to any of them, and he sighed when the baby cried again.

\- I know, it's not the same -

The kid reluctantly finished his meal. The task of putting him to sleep was difficult because he had cried eagerly until exhaustion and finally fell asleep.

Sitting in front of his ration pack and missing the delicious food, Mando sighed regretfully. He had been restless ever since he found out about the possibility of strangers coming out of nowhere, with the coin that could open the door. 

He was sure that Naran would protect them, she was perfectly capable of doing it and had probably been doing it for years, but he was not feeling calm.

Mando tried to read the book of chronicles without much success; he kept getting distracted, and although he hated to admit it, thinking about her.

There were so many questions in his mind, but as someone who has dealt with other people's insane curiosity, he didn't want to subject her to a touchless interrogation. 

For the first time in a long time, he lamented over his poor social skills. Cara would know how to ask.

Without removing his armour and sighing, he leaned back on the soft bed. 

The sleep eluded him for hours, hours in which his mind insisted on reminding him of how Naran had broken three limbs to a bounty hunter that not only surpassed her in height and weight, also in armament.

Her expression during the interrogation, he doubted he could forget it. "Today you are going to die" he wasn't scared of her but was confused. 

Mando had seen her be understanding, gentle and kind; he had also seen her torturing an enemy and murdering without hesitation.

Then he felt a stab of self-awareness.

Some time ago, he had also done those things.

He didn't know when he fell asleep but woke up agitated, and his heart raced with emotion and disbelief. 

Getting up quickly and without turning on the light, he ran out of the room, feeling like a child, a child who has just discovered that fairy tales are real. 

Mando didn't know what her room was, and even though he knew it wasn't appropriate to arrive in the middle of the night, he had to know.

The viewfinder switched to tracking mode, and he caught his breath at the fresh footprints. He followed them to the main entrance and put on his boots, leaving behind his weapons he went out using the coin Naran had left for him in the kitchen to open de door.

It wasn't difficult to find her; she was on her knees in the same place where she had gotten wet in the rain the day before, the place where Malius had died at her hands.

Mando walked slowly, trying not to scare her and leaving the silence as a sign of respect.

If she heard him approach, she did not show it.

Naran wore a black robe with the same design as the one she had worn the day before, had the hood on but did not cover her head revealing a complicated braid of hair, a thick cloth belt surrounded her waist, and the bracers lay between her hands placed gently on her thighs.

She was dressed the same as the night they met.

With the sun rising on the horizon, he heard her whisper in a language he didn't understand.

The once-forgotten representations created by his childish imagination returned wrapped in the orange light of dawn.

The viewfinder switched automatically, and he gasped.

Her tattoos stood out against the bright skin caressed by the warm sunlight, her black hair was filled with sparkles caused by the reflection of light on the armbands, and her lips seemed to come alive as they whispered.

He wished he could see her eyes, but they remained closed.

When the sun covered them completely, Naran got up, and he felt his knees buckle when she looked straight at him. 

Her eyes could well be made of liquid amber.

\- You are not Mando' ade -

His voice sounded distant, strange, and breathless. 

Naran bit her lower lip and frowned slightly then shook her head.

With the light at her side shining brightly, she looked like she had come out of one of his childhood dreams.

\- You are a Sontao -

Mando saw her smile slightly and nod.

Now sitting across from her under the artificial light she seemed more real, though he still couldn't believe he had her in front of him.

\- In a few days, a friend of mine will come -

Mando hadn't realized he was staring at her; he blushed under the helmet.

\- He will come to finish the harvest and protect the place -

Her voice sounded foreign to him. Full of doubt and fear? 

He didn't understand the reason but knowing that she did not feel safe with him hurt him and brought him back to reality.

\- You are welcome to stay -

Naran shifted uncomfortably, and he sighed louder than he intended. 

He was about to answer, but she kept talking.

\- I say this because I will not be here, so there is no need for you to leave -

He saw her stroke the tattoo on her neck for the fifth time in the short time they'd been sitting there facing each other.

\- We will not go -

His voice sounded cold, robotic, causing her to jump into her seat and duck her head.

\- I'm sorry -

He sighed, and before answering her, she kept talking.

\- You are the first to notice it and not trying to rip my head off-

Now he understood a little more; again, she interrupted him before speaking.

\- Honestly, I don't know how to behave -

He looked at her for a moment; the fear seemed to be gone from her eyes.

Yet Mando perceived that she was still uncomfortable.

\- I have many questions, but you don't need to answer them-

Naran ducked her head, trying to hide how nervous she was.

\- The only thing I'm sure of is that you have been kind to us, it would be ungrateful not to return that kindness -

She smiled at him for a moment before turning back in her seat.

\- The Armorer trusts you, so we do too –

When she looked into his eyes, he felt a chill. 

He struggled with the need to check if the helmet was in its place.

\- I appreciate it -

She wasn't lying. He knew it from the way her eyes shone, that gleam of disbelief and gratitude caused a strange pain in his chest that cut his breath and made his hands tremble.

\- So, I'll make breakfast -

Naran smiled at him, with the same smile that she dedicated to the child, and Mando could only nod as he followed her with his eyes.

When he returned to his room, he decided to go back to sleep, after undressing from the beskar and making himself comfortable on the soft mattress he fell asleep.

\- I always liked that story -

* * *

It is said that they were enemies of the Mando' ade during the crusades and that the reason they stood out among all those who were defeated was their bravery.

Rarely did the Mando' ade refer to a conquered foe as "admirable" after all being conquered meant that they had lost not only their home but also their honour and lives.

They remained engraved in the memory of the Mando' ade was due to the blood they made them shed and because despite being conquered, the spirit of their warriors never died and demanded revenge even from the grave.

They called themselves the children of the sun and the moon.

The reason for the name was very simple. Their home planet, Tetakawi, had the curious characteristic that its sun and moon could be seen at all times; day and night were differenced as how close or far the luminary be according to the planet rotation. 

The seasons were generally comfortable, and the planet was full of rivers and vegetation. Until the middle of winter, when the planet was submerged into partial darkness for two months.

At first, the Crusaders thought they were farmers and did not expect great resistance. The mistake was evident when they first attempted to invade the main city and were greeted by a remarkable display of warrior spirit that took them by surprise and made them bleed.

The crusaders proud of their close combat skills and combat armour were repelled by warriors with modest armour and blood-acquired experience.

The battle lasted for months, after which they were finally able to withdraw the solar soldiers to the walls of the floating city; with every captured prisoner, new things were learned.

The Sontao were a race that appreciated peace but paid for the fertility of their land with the blood of their enemies and the courage of their children. 

They wore dark tattoos that honoured their victories, their armour was simple but efficient, and their weapons could be technologically comparable to the ones of the Crusaders or be incredibly simple.

They claimed the death as their mother, the land as the only asset that they recognized as valuable and didn't take prisoners.

"The soldiers were mostly men, but every attempt to take the walled city was fiercely repelled by the women who protected it."

The siege extended because of the remarkable defence and the rivers surrounding the city that complicated their attacks, even then it was a matter of time until the casualties were noticed and the technological disadvantage took its toll. 

The crusaders trusted in their advantage until the darkness came.

"Out of the shadows, the children of the moon materialized, they moved with terrifying naturalness in the dark and murdered with cold efficiency. The blood debt spilt under the light was collected in the dark."

The crusaders were forced to learn from their enemies, modify their weapons technology and develop night combat tactics.

When the war came to an end, and the last of the solar soldiers fell to the ground, he told them in Mando' a:

** “Tran’ade trattok’or al me’suum’ika’ade mav’gev haar kyr’am” **

** "The children of the sun have fallen, but the daughters of the moon will stop death." **

From the city doors dressed in white with their hair cut and armorless, the protectors appeared.  They fought until their last breath.

As the crusaders began to savour the victory in the darkness, blue flares emerged and spread all around them.  The city, rivers, forests and the bodies of the fallen burned for days.

When the smoke cleared and the conquistadors entered the ruins of the iconic walled city that floated on the water, they found only ashes.

The Sontao were then declared extinct and although the planet had been taken it was uninhabitable until nature re-emerged, so the Crusaders abandoned it.

Later this would be told to the foundlings as the only defeat during the great conquest, and it would be the only story that would describe the enemies on the battlefield as "strong and fearless."

* * *

MANDO’ADE

Kote Kyr’ am: Event where Mandalorians honor their fallen warriors who died facing impossible odds. The body is burned on an elevated pyre, clan members send shouts into the sky bellowing war cries and retelling feats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this mess, you are very kind.  
> I wish you fortune and happiness.  
> Be safe and healthy :D
> 
> My Tumblr is: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/adlerorzel-blog


	8. Storms and lullabies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a hurricane and the baby is not having a good time, luckily there are lullabies for fearful babies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful souls! :D  
> This time I am going to share something personal with you. It has been raining here where I live, like a lot, so I remembered that when my sister was a baby my grandparents use to tell her stories of their native town. So I turned it into a chapter.  
> As always I remind you that the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.  
> I'll read you in the endnotes.

**CHAPTER 8**

**“Storms and lullabies”**

"On a planet that apparently doesn't exist, finding a safe place for the children of Mandalore is more than I would have dared to expect."

With a sigh, he finished reading the record written by Brother Irimore, a pacifist Mando' ade who had accidentally arrived at the sanctuary when his ship broke down.

It was the last record in the book. "The last one so far" Naran had gently reminded him because now it was his turn to write a report that in the future would help to locate the foundlings in their respective clans.

Mando put on his helmet and took the dirty dishes to take to the kitchen; there was not a single hint in the book that would lead him to the child's people. What should he do now?

They couldn't stay forever, and if he couldn't train the boy, no matter how fond of him he was, he had to return him with his own.

The kitchen was empty, but he didn't worry. Naran had maintenance chores, and in the last days, the kid had gotten used to accompanying her.

With an incredulous sigh he washed the dishes, he hadn't been doing housework for a long time, and although Mando couldn't say he liked it the change was appreciated.

As soon as he left the kitchen, he heard the echoing of their laughter. Following the sound, he turned around in the infirmary and walked to the farthest part of the shelter.

The door to the "laundry" was open, letting in the sunlight and letting him hear the sound of water splashing, the baby laughing and Naran's voice.

\- You needed a good bath, don't be offended but you smelled like a swamp -

The baby replied with a babble that sounded almost offended, and he smiled "That's because he fell into a swamp".

\- I understand, but I'm sure that your dad does the best he can -

The kid babbled again, and he felt a little guilty. Indeed, he had not thought about that; after all, the ship had no shower.

\- Attention!-

Inadvertently, hearing the order tone, he stood up very straight.

Mando smiled at himself, feeling stupid.

\- Revision! -

He heard a splash and decided to get as quiet as possible.

\- Shower? -

The baby, covered in a soft towel, stood firmly in front of Naran; she was kneeling on the floor next to a tub filled with soapy water.

\- Teeth? -

The kid replied with a little noise and a wide smile.

\- Ears? -

With a babble, the child raised his ears proudly.

\- Perfectly rinsed? -

Another babble.

\- Very well, rest! -

The baby smiled and approached her; Naran picked him up.

\- I did this to you yesterday; now we can wash your clothes -

With the kid in her arms, Naran got up and walked to one of the clothes-filled furniture where there were small brown underwear and a robe, similar to the one the boy wore every day, in grey.

The same grey colour of the robe as she used to use.

\- Thanks to the moon. I forgot to take your measurements, and I was afraid it wouldn't fit you -

The child smiled and let her dress him.

\- I made this from the softest robe I had, and you need to increase your wardrobe -

The kid smiled with emotion and bright eyes.

\- Look at you! Very handsome -

As soon as Naran put him down, the baby ran his tinny hands over the soft fabric and looked her in the eyes.

The babble was so smooth and full of emotion that Mando could understand what it meant even if the words didn't make sense.

\- You're welcome ik'aad –

He didn't notice but pushed the door too hard, and it creaked, they both turned to look at him at the same time.

The child ran up to him and hugged his leg, Naran got up looking guiltily at the floor.

\- Busy morning? -

Fortunately, his voice successfully conveyed his lack of anger, and she looked up.

\- I know I should have asked before, but I didn't want to bother you -

Mando took the kid in his arms; it smelled fresh and seemed very happy.

\- No problem, I appreciate it, and I'm sure he does too -

Naran nodded and turned to grab the wet sheets from a tub next to the one she had used to bathe the baby.

\- Is everything all right?-

Mando left the kid on the floor and saw him ran to the blurrg plushie he had already claimed as his own.

\- I'm done reading the book -

Naran turned to look at him and after a second of studying him with her eyes proceed to continue spreading the sheets on long wooden clotheslines.

\- And it hasn't helped much, it seems -

He stepped forward and began to help her lay the long sheets in the wood.

\- I haven't found anything useful; I suppose I must continue searching blindly -

She thought about it for a moment and let him help her with the task.

He smiled thinking about how difficult it had been to get her to let him help in the chores, it had taken him days, but now Naran was giving him orders without effort.

\- Then you'll have to go to Vencuyot -

Once the last sheet was lying in the sun, Mando immediately took the basket full of clean sheets and began helping to fold them.

\- I think if I notify my brother-in-law and the governor they can both receive you in the city to guide you both to the sanctuary-

He didn't answer and continued diligently with the task, taking a sheet from one side and with coordinated movements folding it.

\- Is it possible? –

Naran stared at him again as they spread out an unusually large sheet.

\- I'm sure the foundlings of the enclave will be happy to see you–

The comment froze him for a second.

He had been restless thinking that he would have to see the children, the children who had been orphaned again because of his decision to save the baby.

\- We both know how scary it can be and how lonely you can feel when you get to a strange place. Seeing you will do them good. And meeting the new clan member will help them to understand -

He bit his cheek to keep his emotions under control. Could they?

\- Children are brilliant, much more than adults give them credit, the only thing we can do is have faith that they will understand -

There was no doubt in her voice, and he felt a chill when he looked into her eyes.

How did she do that? How could she look directly at him with the helmet still in place?

He nodded and finished with the task of folding the sheets.

Later, while working on the new adaptations for the Razor crest, he kept thinking about going to the sanctuary. How would they treat the child?

Naran's laughter distracted him, and he looked up from the future water filter he was working on. She was sitting in an old container that was no longer working and was holding the baby in her lap.

\- What do you think?-

The kid replied with a stammer and bit one of the fruits that Naran was holding for him, then gestured and wrinkled his nose; she laughed again.

\- Maybe it is not to your taste but thanks to that we have food -

The child pouted and looked at the piece of fruit in Naran's hand, bit it once more but again made a gesture of disgust.

\- Maybe something sweeter? -

Naran brought him a different fruit, and as soon as the kid bit it, he took it from her hand, she smiled and looked up at the sky.

\- There will be a storm today. We should close the hangar cover to make sure the repairs are not damaged –

\- Thanks for the pieces -

Naran nodded as she passed beside him after leaving the kid on the floor.

Mando heard her press the buttons necessary to close the hangar.

\- I'm glad they were useful -

She approached with her gaze fixed on the Razor Crest, and he braced himself for the comment about the condition of the ship.

\- She has been through a lot I wish I had more to offer for her–

He felt a shiver as he saw her slide her fingers over a dent almost lovingly.

The droid that had been pushing containers inside the Naran's ship stopped and shut itself down, confirming that the droid was no longer moving; he allowed himself to approach.

\- It's been a long time since I've seen a Blue Dagger -

He had seen two or three in his life.

Smaller than the Razor Crest by a few meters and of a pre-imperial warlike design, originally used for the transport of weapons. Its versatile design had been copied by the republic but would never be compared to the original.

Coveted during the war for its excellent manoeuvrability and heavy weaponry that could be controlled by the pilot without assistance. Coveted by traffickers for the large amounts of storage. Coveted by merchants for the double-layered durasteel shields that made it a mobile fortress.

The "Dagger" in the name came from its form; sharp at the front it widened as the body of the ship extended so that jumps into hyperspace became one more manoeuvre, which made it fast. The "blue" came from the peculiar colour in the transparisteel of the cabin caused by the extra amount of lommite that emitted a blue flash when entering and leaving hyperspace.

Mando slipped his fingers through a dent.

\- It was from my mother -

He didn't know when she had approached but was not surprised.

\- She's also been through a lot -

Naran nodded and smiled wistfully at the ship.

He began to circle the ship, noticing the dents and marks in the paint. To his surprise, it hid another treasure.

\- Is that a Claw? -

Naran picked up the baby and took another fruit from her pocket.

\- Yes, it is my first ship -

His heart raced as he saw the flash of light on the black durasteel.

He had always wanted one.

\- Pre-war? -

\- One of the last -

It didn't seem real.

He couldn't be sure at the time; all he could see was the dream of his youth materialized in front of him.

\- How…?-

They had been mostly destroyed during the war or confiscated by the empire.

\- One of my first jobs went wrong, and I ended up being a prisoner of the empire. Luckily in the area of mechanics and weapons production. -

Naran approached with the child in her arms, the kid chirped and reached out to touch the metal.

\- It had been taken for destruction and foundry, but I repaired it in secret with the help of other prisoners. When the base was attacked, we used it to escape-

The baby's hand rested next to his, and the child smiled heartily, Naran smiled back.

\- She saved my life -

He nodded solemnly without taking his eyes off the reddish glow of the dark paint.

The design had been inspired by the assault transports of different classes and since before the war. It had been popular as its name indicated, with the mercenaries.

The Mercenary Claw was the response of mercenaries to warships. Specialized in combat outside the atmosphere and designed with the idea of seizing the military cargo from both sides. It got its name from its primary owners and the peculiar shape of alternative landing gear that could anchor to another ship.

Even though it had enough space for a crew of ten, due to its compact design and modest size, it could still be handled entirely with just one person in command.

Excellent for getting in and out of place at full speed. With the versatility to customize the interior to suit the pilot's need.

Its shields had been the best of their time, and with proper maintenance, they could last a lifetime.

The thunder echoed as it fell against the side of the mountain, and the child began to cry.

\- Hey, hey. It's okay -

The sound of the rain against the hangar deck was so loud that it drowned out their voices and the baby's cry in a moment. They went back inside, and Naran made sure to properly close all the doors in case the rain started to flood the entrance.

Relieved that they had an early dinner and that the kid was eating fruit as a snack, Mando took off his boots while Naran finished calming the child down.

\- The storm will get worse, and I'm sure it will last all night -

He nodded and took the baby. She took off her boots and stroked the child's ear.

\- Try not to keep your dad awake, okay? -

As soon as he entered the room, he sat on the floor and prayed that the kid would quickly fall asleep.

* * *

"They say that children born in the midst of a storm are blessed because the sky screamed with their mother and cried for their arrival into the world. So every time they cry there is a hurricane that only their moms can calm” *

* * *

Mando didn't know what to do.

Hours had passed, and he was sure that it was late at night, but the kid didn't stop crying. He'd wrapped him up in the fluffy blanket, whispered to reassure him, and still, the poor thing was crying.

The storm was hitting hard, and even underground they could hear the thunder echoing down the slope, it was no worse than in the ship, and he didn't understand why the child couldn't sleep.

Mando sighed with regret and almost cursed when he heard a knock on the door, with the baby he got up and opened it.

\- I don't want to disturb, but it seems that you need help -

Naran was wearing the bandana over her eyes, and her face was downcast.

\- I'm wearing the beskar -

She nodded and uncovered her eyes; the baby was still crying.

\- The hurricane doesn't let him sleep? –

He denied with a sigh, and as soon as she spread her arms, he handed the baby over.

\- I have an idea -

He followed her to the children's room and gratefully listened as the thunder seemed to subside a little, even so, the baby did not stop crying.

Naran stepped forward and handed him a neatly folded black robe from the mat that covered the centre of the room.

\- Get comfortable; it's going to be a long night -

He looked at her, but she ignored him, focused on taking a heavy mat out of one of the closets.

\- You won't be of help if you don't rest -

The tone of order in her voice made him pay attention; she wore a loose navy blue robe just like the one she had just handed him, thick socks and hair in a messy bun.

\- We will take turns sleeping him, and the beskar will mark the mattresses -

She wasn't trying to make him uncomfortable, he could tell it from the practical tone of her voice, and although she was as tired as he was from the busy day they'd had, she was trying to help.

\- I will wear the bandana if you want and this is an extra robe that we have for the infirmary -

Her eyes were barely open, and the baby's cries continued unabated.

He wanted to sleep too, and he didn't have to take off his helmet.

Mando nodded and saw her sigh in relief as with one hand she moved one of the mats to the centre of the room, and with the other, she rocked the baby gently.

Back in his room and almost stunned he took off his armour, leaving just the kute and trying not to think about it he dressed in the robe. Upon returning to the children's room, the mattresses were on the floor, the room was warm, and the baby was still crying.

\- Hey hey, dad came back, look -

The baby looked up and spread his hands in his direction; instinctively, he reached out and knelt on the mattress.

Mando held the baby's hands while Naran rocked him.

\- Is he always like this when there is a storm? -

He looked at her, but she had her eyes closed, he was about to ask the reason when the light went out. The crying increased.

\- I knew this would happen. Too many lightning strikes overloaded the system –

Without electricity, the heating would not work, that's why the thick mattress and heavy blankets.

He changed his helmet mode so he could see in the dark and was about to take the kid when Naran spoke to him.

\- Don't look at me -

As soon as he saw her release the first hasp on her robe, he closed his eyes.

When he heard her move his pulse quickened.

\- Thanks to the moon -

Mando was about to ask what she meant when he realized; the baby had stopped screaming. His eyes opened in surprise.

\- I was afraid it wouldn't work -

She had put the baby in her robe and then closed it with him inside, all he could see was the small head against her neck, and the little hands clinging to what he supposed was her kute.

\- How did you know? -

Naran smiled sadly and finally opened her eyes.

\- Babies who have been separated from their mothers calm down when they hear a heartbeat -

He felt a painful pang in his chest and his throat closed, tears filling his eyes because of the baby's whimpers.

\- It would be best if you slept, I'll take the first turn -

Unable to answer, he leaned back on the mattress and covered himself with one of the blankets, the sleep was gone, but the fatigue was still there.

With a heavy heart he heard Naran hum a song, he almost jumped up when the baby whimpered again.

\- Shh, dad needs sleep -

Naran murmured again and as the baby calmed down.

She began singing, the tune and language didn't sound familiar to him, although he hadn't heard many lullabies that he remembered.

It was a soft and kind song. "It is a Sontao song"**

Sometimes he forgot that the woman sitting a few steps away was like a fairy tale come true.

\- What does that song say? -

He couldn't help but ask, he heard her smile and she continued the song now in common language.

_Sleep, my child_

_Don't wake up my little one_

_My little baby, my little boy._

_Don't wake up my dear little grain._

_Do not wake up from the sweet dream_

_My little, little grain._

_Sleep, my child_

_Don't wake up my dear little grain._

_My child, my little baby._

_Save this song_

_Keep it in your heart_

_Because I love you…_

_I love you_

_With all my heart_

With Naran's voice quieting the storm, he closed his eyes.

* * *

The smoke smell was wrong.

It didn't smell of spices like when his mother cooked, nor did it smell of wood and grass, like when his father worked. It smelled different from the smoke of the pipe from the neighbour that always gave him sweets, and it wasn't similar to the smell from the oven of the kind older woman from who they bought bread.

If he had to describe the smell on those occasions, it would be warm and familiar, but the smoke that surrounded him smelled like... loss.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he knew he was right.

For a moment he thought it was a nightmare and if it weren't for his father taking him in his arms, pulling him out of bed, he probably would have believed he was still asleep.

It wasn't until he heard the screaming, fear, and explosions chasing them that he became convinced it wasn't a dream.

He was scared.

And he was afraid because although he could see and feel his parents, holding him in their arms as they ran, he couldn't hear them.

Too much noise.

The images around him, blurred by the escape, began to take shape.

Droids, shots, weapons, people, corpses.

It was then that the smell of the smoke made sense.

He wanted to scream, he knew someone was screaming, but he wasn't sure who. Each sound had blended into an overwhelming roar that gave him a headache and kept him from distinguishing where it came from. It was everywhere.

The first time they fell, he felt his mother's hands against his arm, and as his father resumed the escape, her hands moved away.

When they left him in the container, he saw his mother's lips move but didn't hear a word; he missed her voice.

His father also said something but the explosion a few meters away interrupted him and took away his words.

When the door closed and he saw them disappear he wanted to cry, and if he had had the chance he probably would have, but the heat from the explosion outside the door and the pain in his ears distracted him.

The chill he felt as the door opened shook him violently, and he felt the scream of terror fight to break through his throat.

\- Everything is fine -

At once, all sound stopped.

With his heart racing, he closed his eyes in fear.

\- It's the rain -

He didn't know how cold he was until he began to feel the warmth around him, and the trembling in his body slowly ceased.

\- You are safe here with me -

He heard a noise in front of him, a whimper.

\- The rain can be very noisy, but it won't hurt you -

The sad, almost pitiful babble made him open his eyes.

\- I'll protect you from the cold and help you to flourish -

The baby was lying next to him, his eyes were full of tears, but he wasn't crying despite the thunders.

\- The rain makes the grains grow. Grains like you -

Naran was lying on the other side of the baby, her hair falling down the mattress and her eyes closed.

\- Don't be afraid my little grain, because you are not alone. You carry my prayers in your heart -

Her right hand circled the baby's chest, and her comforting voice soon stilled the tears.

\- The dark, the storms, the fear. They can't hurt you because my love will protect you -

It took him a moment to realize it was a lullaby***, whispered so as not to wake him up.

\- Sleep, sleep, little grain. The rain will lull you -

Unable to move and with a warm sensation in his chest, he heard her hum tiredly until she fell asleep at the same time as the baby between them.

Trying not to make noise, he covered them with his blanket, approached to the baby who was still pouting while still asleep and lay back down.

Another thunder rumbled, the baby shuddered, and Naran stirred under the covers; Without thinking, he put his hand on the baby's stomach and patted him to reassure him.

No matter how hard the hurricane hit the mountain, none of them woke up again that night.

* * *

NOTES CANON

Ik’aad: Baby under 3 years old.

Kute: Under tunic that goes under the under armour.

Vencuyot: The literal translation is "future". In this story, it is the name of the sanctuary for orphans.

Lommite: Mineral used in the manufacture of transparisteel.

EXTRA NOTES

* That story was told by my grandma to my baby sister when she couldn't sleep. I don´t know if it's popular or not so I wouldn't call it a Mexican tale.

**This song was inspired by a song in Nahuatl that my teacher of artistic appreciation in high school showed us for a class and since then I adore it, this is the link: https://youtu.be/xbqlCfLMmpc

***The second song is a fragment of a song that my grandpa used to sing for my sister when she was a baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the chapter :3  
> Thanks for taking the time to read this, I´m very grateful.  
> I wish you health and happiness.  
> See you in the next chapter.


	9. In Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mando, baby and Naran prepare for their respective trips. This is their last night at the shelter where they spend a moment together without thinking too much about farewell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, people of the world! :D  
> I hope you are having a good day! :3  
> I had planned another theme for this chapter but I sabotage myself when I wrote it by listening to Saurom (I must work on my self-control lol) and this thing has life on its own so...yeah. But I hope you like it because is fluffy.  
> I remember you that the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so there could be grammar mistakes.
> 
> A special thanks to Lady Jensen and Goovychaosfun for their kind comments that revived my dead heart and encouraged me to continue this story. To the kind people who left kudos, I just want to say that I really appreciate it and you had have given me a lot of happiness! Thank you to all of you!!

**CHAPTER 9**

**“In Trouble”**

He woke up alone, lying on the mattresses and with both blankets on him; It was usual for Naran and the boy to wake up before him and start their daily chores without waking him up.  
Stretching, he paid attention to his surroundings. Another day without light and the rain hitting the metal cover on the window luckily without thunders this time.  
As soon as he got up he changed the visor mode, although Naran had tried not to leave bright lights on so his eyes weren't hurt in the morning; the baby hated the pitch dark of the refuge, and they had been forced to leave at least one dim lamp in the main hallway to make the child feel safe.

Mando decided to dress first. When he left the room, he was greeted by the yellowish glow of the battery light that Naran hated. He smiled at the thought of the morning he had helped her look for that thing at the bottom of the shelter's warehouses. She didn't say it, but the colour hurt her eyes, and she preferred oil lamps but didn't use them for fear that the child would get hurt.  
When he reached the door of the room, that in more recent days was only used to store his and the child's things, he heard something fall, and the hiss of pain from Naran followed by the baby's cry. 

Mando hurried to the kitchen door and nearly fell because of the smooth floor and soft socks.  
\- Thanks to the moon, you are awake -  
He couldn't move. Was he still asleep?  
The embarrassed smile on Naran's face seemed to say yes.  
\- I still haven't mastered the extra weight -  
Without answering, he stared at her, confused and with a strange feeling in his stomach.

She was standing next to the only orange artificial light they had, leaning against the kitchen counter. The glow made her braid look darker and her skin warmer, but what made his mouth dry was the bulge in her blue tunic at her belly.  
With a shiver running down his spine, he saw her reach up her belly to fix the grey belt that supported the weight as she adjusted her posture with a moan.  
\- Did I wake you up? -  
He shook his head as his gaze slid up the robe. 

At the top two haps were open, and the brown kute lay in plain sight, he felt another chill.  
\- Could you take it? -  
Embarrassed, he looked at her face and wanted to rub his eyes, the bun was half undone, and some strands of hair caressed her cheeks.  
\- Mando? Are you ok? -  
He avoided shaking his head.  
\- What? -  
Naran frowned and fearful of making her angry; he tried to focus.  
\- Do you need help? -  
His voice was heavy, and he held back the urge to clear his throat.  
\- Could you take him? -  
Naran looked down, and he followed her gaze, two ears appeared from between the robe.

Mando chuckled at the sight of the baby peeking through the fabric.  
\- I admit that I'm starting to regret the idea, just a little -  
The baby made a sound and clung to the cloth as Naran tried to pull him out, she sighed.  
\- Come on, I need to make breakfast, and you keep making me fall -  
The kid turned to look at him as if he expected him to help him, and Mando bit his lip to stifle another chuckle.  
\- Come on womp rat -  
The baby wrinkled his nose but released the robe when he saw that Naran was not giving in. She took him out with a soft smile.  
\- I was expecting you to be bored after a few days -  
"How could he?" he thought cheekily and bit his tongue as self-punishment.  
\- He lacks discipline -  
He replied, referring more to himself than to the baby.

Naran thought about it for a moment and smiled as she handed the baby over.  
\- He is small, he will learn. Now, both of you get ready while I make breakfast -  
With the baby in his arms and holding himself back so as not to run away from her. He returned to the room.  
Once the door was closed, he leaned against it and took a breath almost desperately.  
\- We are in trouble womp rat -  
The baby tilted his head without understanding.

***

After a good breakfast by the light of a battery lamp and washing the dishes as it was the routine, Mando headed to the hangar opening the door with a button on his armband.   
When he arrived, Naran had already turned on the newly installed battery lights so that they could both continue with their tasks without a problem and monitor the kid without difficulty.  
\- You'll fall if you keep going up there -  
The child had taken as a game to climb on one of the empty containers and launch himself under the ramp of the Dagger. 

Naran let him be, but he could see how her shoulders tensed every time the kid went down at full speed.  
\- You Mando' ade don't listen, don't you? -  
He smiled as he watched her pout in concern as the child pushed the small container back up the ramp.  
\- Not all of us, only him -  
Naran turned to look at him and smiled when she saw him carrying the boxes she had ordered him to bring from the kitchen.  
\- Thank you -  
He put the boxes on the floor and Naran opened them, then pushed the larger one towards him.  
\- Here are some pieces that I think will help with that makeshift shower you're working on. I had saved them for the Dagger, but they did not fit well, and I didn't want to modify them -  
He checked the pieces and although they would need a little work they would work well.  
\- Thank you -  
Naran nodded and seemed to want to say something; he kept eye contact for a moment.   
She sighed and walked away, Mando felt disappointed.  
\- Do you need help with something? -  
Naran gently denied.  
\- I'll prepare the supplies and refill the health pack -  
Without waiting for his answer, Naran entered the Razor Crest with a box in her hands and the kid following her closely.

The previous days Naran had insisted on helping them prepare what was necessary for the trip. While he was making repairs and modifications needed for the baby's comfort, she had maintained the interior, repaired minor damage, and organized everything that was impractical or that he had not paid much attention for years.  
He kept working to distract his mind until the shower was installed, the vacuum tube sliding door back in place, and the loading area repair completed.

When Naran emerged from the Razor Crest and entered the Dagger, she had the baby on her back.  
Mando sighed almost regretfully.  
The day after the hurricane, the baby had not been able to be apart of her, and without the will to push him away Naran had turned the cloth belt that she always wore into a baby holder.   
Now every time she did her chores and didn't pay enough attention to the kid, he hung on her leg until she wrapped him and hung him on her back.

He had to admit that he was jealous of both of them.  
\- We are in big trouble -  
Mando followed her with his gaze as she finished the tasks inside the Dagger.   
He knew that she was also preparing to travel, but it seemed that none of them wanted to mention the subject.   
It was not normal for either of them to talk a lot, yet there was something strange and a little sad in that silence.  
Mando heard her inside the ship ordering supplies and doing a few other things, her steady footsteps occasionally accompanied by a few laughs or whispered words under her breath. 

When the first thunder of the night echoed off the mountain, and the baby began to cry, he felt a chill of anticipation.  
\- It seems that is all the work for today -  
Naran emerged from the Dagger, and calmly approached him.  
\- I had forgotten how slow it is to do anything with a baby -  
Mando didn't know what to answer and suppressing uncomfortable emotion that he refused to describe, he clenched his teeth.  
\- I don't know how my sister and the other mothers do it. In the sanctuary, there is much more work and more children –  
He didn't realize he was holding his breath until she pulled away, and he allowed himself to take a breath.   
The relief he felt with the last comment came along with a slight burden of guilt.

Another thunder echoed off the mountain, and the baby cringed in its cloth cocoon as he hugged Naran's thick braid.  
\- Almost done, sweetheart-  
Naran finished turning off the lights and checking the level of charge in the batteries while he saved the tools he had used.  
Mando glanced around the hangar. There were no more scattered pieces, empty containers or droids working; everything was ready for the trip.  
\- It seems that it only remains to wait for the storms to pass and we will have to continue with our missions -  
She was standing at the entrance, holding the baby and staring at both ships. 

Forcing himself to ignore the subtle tone of sadness in her voice, he decided to change the subject.  
\- Why are the lamps blue and green light?-   
Naran rolled her eyes, and he smiled under the helmet.  
\- Because those are the only lights that we have that are not used in weddings and funerals. The yellow light we have in the hallway is enough; we don't need more yellow ones -  
Mando nodded; he didn't like yellow either.   
Too similar to gold, too common in war.   
\- We must get white lights. I can't believe we don't have white lights -  
Naran pouted.  
\- And I can't believe you didn't want to remove the ones from the ceiling. Now we are caught in the green and blue lights until Spike arrives with more provisions -  
When Mando saw her arch her left eyebrow angrily, the eyebrow that had a dark scar that cut it almost at the end, he smiled again. 

Her face didn't show much, always with a stern expression when it wasn't about the baby.  
But there were times when it changed slightly for him.   
And Mando had caught himself making it his mission to see as many of the changes on her face as he could. He didn't envy the child who could achieve it without effort; the satisfaction was more significant when he achieved it without help.

***

Back inside, Naran had made dinner while Mando bathed the baby and changed its clothes. He didn't want to think about how easy it had been to start a shared task routine and how nice it was to feel her presence.  
As he ate in the solitude of his room, he kept thinking.  
They had little time left, and he didn't know if he would see her again, probably not.  
The routine ran its course, and with each completed task, the expectation turned to anxiety, what should he do? "Nothing" he answered to himself. "What is one more repentance on the list?" 

With a sad sigh, he finished dressing and put on his helmet without paying attention to his half-dried hair. He should be used to the bittersweet feeling that seemed to have always been there, and that would probably go with him even after the day when the kid returned to his people, and he'll be left alone again.  
Barefoot and feeling the cold ground as a self-induced punishment, he walked to the children's room where he knew the two reasons for his concern were.

The door was open like every night after that hurricane that had changed the way they had been living together.   
He turned off the yellowish light with a dismissive gesture and heard the baby whimper as the light disappeared.  
\- An'jate cyar'ika - [Everything is fine sweetheart]  
His pulse quickened. He didn't hear her talk enough mando' a.  
\- You need to teach him Mando' a -  
He smiled and entered the room; she was sitting in the middle of the mattresses with the baby on her lap.  
\- He's too small-  
Naran nodded and handed him the baby who had stopped crying when he saw him.  
\- Its the best time to teach him -  
Mando thought about it for a moment as he watched her get up and look for something in the closet. 

When she found what she was looking for, she sat down next to them again.  
\- I have something you are going to love, kid -  
They both watched her place the small metal box in front of the mattresses and pointed it at the covered window.  
\- Is that a guiding light? -  
Naran nodded with a knowing smile and from under the mattress pulled out a few pieces of cardboard with cut out figures inside.  
\- Now, pay attention because I'm going to tell a story –

***

As a child, he had imagined that the Sontao could control the planet they inhabited.  
That was the explanation his childish mind had created to explain why a planet surrounded by rivers had caught on fire.  
Now, as Naran began to tell the story of a Sontao king who was going to war. The thunders chanted her words, and the theory was raised again.   
The baby stirred in his arms, excited to see the silhouette of a kneeling man and a woman touching his head.

"It is written that when the war comes, no soldier can leave without the blessing of his love, and this story explains why. We cannot mention the name because it has been lost over time, but we can remember the promise a king made while drying his wife's tears - I promise that after winning I will return my dear-"

Naran changed the cardboard in front of the light, and the figure of the soldier king surrounded by enemies appeared in the window, the kid smiled.

"Each battle proved his worth and was as difficult as only war can be, but what afflicted his heart was the longing for his home. His sadness was so great that it moved the earth. So in an act of mercy, the wind was sent to whisper his wife's words of love."

The armoured soldier disappeared, the figure of the unarmored king and his wife, separated by their enemies, seized the window.

"His enemies, knowing that they could not defeat him in battle, decided to steal his shield and send him with a spy disguised as a messenger to his home. The spy was received with kindness, and when he met the queen, he told her that her husband had died, she cried.

–My poor beloved, who left without my blessing! without the protection of his wife's love!-"

The image of the queen sobbing on her knees made his heart clench painfully, and he heard the baby babble.

"They say that after hearing the lie, the queen fell to the ground and upon hearing her cries, the flowers withered. Heartbroken, the queen decided to go to the highest mountain to ask the moon to bring her husband back. There was no response, and after days of languishing with grief, the queen died."

The baby gasped at the silhouette of the queen, lying on the grass and lifeless. 

"The moon was afflicted when she saw what that lie had caused, and without being able to tell the queen that her husband was alive, she covered her with snow to preserve her. And furious at the loss of one of her good daughters, she cursed her enemies who had caused her death with dishonourable methods."

He felt the baby hug him as the thunder increased, Naran saw it and hurried on.

"The king was victorious over his enemies and with a prayer, thanked them for the peace they had achieved through sweat and blood. Ignorant of his wife's fate, he returned home; when the wives of his soldiers told him what had happened, he rushed to the mountain."

Mesmerized by Naran's voice, the baby calmed down and returned his attention to the silhouettes on the window.

"At the king's arrival, the snow covering the queen melted, and the king fell to his knees next to his beloved wife. Seeing her lifeless, he began to sob then made a promise. -I'll wait with you forever, and I'll never leave you alone!-"

The rain seemed to bend to the story and increased; the baby too concentrated on the images didn't move.

"The sun wailed for its son and offered revenge on those who had harmed him. The king thinking of his wife's kind heart refused and knowing that he could only follow her to the other world, he embraced her, renouncing life."

He heard the baby babble, and Naran smiled pleased with her abilities.

"The earth took pity on both of them and decided to bury them. Over time their graves rose high as the love they had felt in life and disappearing what had been the mountain of the gods."

Naran removed some pieces of the last silhouette; rivers appeared on the queen's mountain and lava on the king's mountain. The baby struggled against sleep.

"The queen's nostalgia takes refuge under the earth; her tears fill the rivers that give her children drink and make the flowers grow. The king's pain roars against the sky, and his burning tears run down the earth. They will always be together, watching over each other"

The baby's soft, rhythmic breathing caught both of their attention. Naran smiled and put the cardboard figures aside as she approached the kid.

"Since then, wives have always blessed their husbands when they go to war, and the soldiers refuse to leave home without their blessing. Because their love keeps them safe and so the wind reminds them that someone is waiting for them."

Dazzled by the sound of her voice, Mando watched her lay the baby down. While whispering the end of the story.   
\- It's a good story -  
Naran nodded and covered the baby with the blanket she and the kid shared.  
\- It's a sad story that justifies the reason why Sontao wives are bossy -  
Hearing her laugh made his heart swell.  
\- It depends on how you see it -  
He turned off the light and walked over to his place next to the baby. Naran had already leaned on the other side.  
\- Do you like that story? -  
He watched her begin to close her eyes and answer with a whisper.  
\- Something like that-  
Seeing her fight against sleep, he lay very still, letting her relax.  
\- When are you planning to leave? -  
Mando smiled; she could be so stubborn.  
\- Probably as soon as the storm's end -  
Naran nodded, opening her eyes.

She seemed to be thinking about something.  
\- Have you ever had the feeling that something is inevitable? -  
Mando stared at her for a moment.  
\- What do you mean? -  
She smiled and with a sigh, closed her eyes again.  
\- The feeling that something is going to happen no matter what but not in a terrifying way. More like... when you know that it is going to dawn and with the sunrise, there will be light and warm -  
He thought about it for a moment; he didn't believe he ever had that feeling.

The first time he had seen a Mando' ade, he had felt relief, sadness, and hope. When he received his helmet, he had felt gratitude, honour, and responsibility; during the war, fear, sadness, and pain.  
In the purge, impotence, stress, and uncertainty had been what had kept him alive. Responsibility, duty, and fear of uncertainty had marked his life in the enclave.  
He saw the baby. The first time he had seen the kid; she had felt sadness, guilt, fear, remorse, and affection.  
Mando was about to answer no.   
All his life, his emotions had come and gone with the flow. Protecting him from life or simply in response to his decisions.  
Then he remembered.

His heart raced.  
\- Yes, I think so -  
Naran sighed and in a sleepy voice whispered:  
\- Me too, the morning you called me Sontao the first time -  
Unable to turn to look at her, he froze in place.   
Could she read his mind?  
\- It's the most bittersweet thing that has ever happened to me -  
Mando smiled upon hearing her; he could also describe it in the same way.  
\- It's a shame there isn't enough time -  
He nodded, maybe if things were different.  
\- I tell that story to the children because it was my mother's favourite -  
Mando appreciated the change of subject. 

He wasn't ready to think about what he would leave behind when they left.  
\- For real? Why? -  
It took her a minute to answer him for fighting the sleep.  
\- I think because it gave her an excuse to kiss Mom every time they said goodbye -  
Feeling the dream envelop him, he smiled.  
\- Why do you believe that? -  
Mando heard her sigh with fatigue.  
\- Because it's what I would do. Every time my husband had to leave I would say to him that he can't go without my blessing -  
He was going to miss her little talks before sleeping.

It was the moment when she shared more of herself than she realized.  
\- You Sontao women are dangerous -  
He heard her laugh.  
\- I thought the Mando' ade already knew it -  
With his eyes closed, Mando almost smiled.  
\- We tell the children before bedtime so they can be careful -  
When he heard her laugh in a sleepy voice, he felt powerful.  
\- That didn't save my mom, maybe you should think of another way to warn them -  
Confused, he opened his eyes.  
\- In what sense? -  
Naran smiled, more asleep than awake.  
\- Because the warnings did not prevent her from marrying a Sontao woman -  
The reality of what she had just said made him lose sleep.

Her mother had married a Sontao woman, even after the Mando' ade warnings.  
\- You are a foundling -  
Naran frowned, still half asleep.  
\- I don't wear a helmet -  
Of course, he felt like a fool.  
\- So…-  
Naran snuggled closer to the baby, the bun in her hair unravelling with the movement.  
\- Naran? -  
She didn't answer anymore; she had fallen asleep.

His heart raced at the thought of what had just happened.   
Naran had revealed something very personal to him; he felt honoured and…happy.  
She trusted him.   
Enough to tell him about her family, and that made him absurdly happy.  
"I'm in trouble."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow I'll be sharing some ink sketches of Naran in the Extras archive, if you are interested in a cleaner version of her face and curious about her tattoos this is the occasion!
> 
> I wish you happiness and good luck.  
> Stay healthy and hydrated!!
> 
> EDIT: The Ink sketches are now available in the extras file! For work reasons, I have had to update them today :D


	10. New friends and goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some situations can be difficult; like making new friends (especially if they look delicious) and saying goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, again people of the planet!  
> I'm sorry this chapter is late.  
> I've been too depressed to write and too in pain to draw.  
> I appreciate the kudos, the kind comments and your patience.  
> This chapter is the first test with a new beta, I hope it is better than the previous ones, but as always, I remind you that the feedback is appreciated and English is not my first language so it is likely that there are grammatical mistakes.  
> Special thanks to MiJo71, LadyJensen and Groovy for their kind comments that always lift my spirits.

**CHAPTER 10**

**“New friends and goodbyes”**

\- What do you think? –

Mando sighed, staring at the top of the massive tree where the fruit shone from the morning dew and the sunlight.

\- It doesn't seem easy -

Naran nodded and took the baby in her arms. Seeing her look down gave him a slight sense of suspicion.

\- So, just the machine is fine -

Mando heard more than saw the pout.

He sighed and stared at the stuck harvesting machine.

\- Do you really want the fruit? –

She was silent for a moment.

\- We would make stuffed buns -

He moaned at the thought of the delicious food.

As soon as he turned to look at her, he realized his mistake.

Naran and the baby were staring at him with bright eyes; he felt his heart jump when she bit her lip.

Without saying anything else, he took the bags that Naran was offering him, put them on his belt and turned on the jetpack.

As he worked on dismantling the harvesting machine, he could hear Naran with the baby on her back and picking up the pieces of machinery scattered by the hurricane.

The storms had been over for five days.

Mando decided that before they left, they would help Naran bring back the harvesting machines.

Now he knew that Naran distributed the harvested fruit for sale on various planets.

It took him a reasonable amount of time to finish lowering the device.

She was already waiting for him with the child in her arms.

\- Thank you -

He nodded and handed her the bag full of fruit.

Naran smiled and looked down, the baby reached into the bag and began to eat it.

\- Hey, it's for the buns -

The kid pouted and turned to him for help, smiled.

\- Walking Womp rat -

Back at the shelter, Naran took the child into the kitchen, and he went to take a shower.

If everything went well, they'd have two nights left in the shelter.

The ship could not be in better shape, it had never been better supplied with ammunition and health packs, and the rations would be plenty of that he was sure.

"I'll take care of it" Naran had told him, and he believed her.

Mando ran his hands over the soft blue robe that had become his second uniform and now had his signet embroidered on his chest.

Since they had returned to their room, Mando doubted that Naran was sleeping, but he didn't dare ask.

The embroidered robes for him and the child, the recent additions to the baby's wardrobe, and the laborious meals of the past few days told him that she spent almost no time in her own room.

Spike, Naran's friend, had been delayed and had not yet arrived at the shelter. He was in charge of maintaining and protecting the sanctuary during the second harvest season and while Naran was away working.

Thinking of the impending departure, he walked to the kitchen, the scene in front of him was not new but still breathtaking.

Storytelling nights were over when Mando and Naran had quietly agreed that they should begin the separation of her and the child.

But they seemed unable to separate because from the first night, the baby had taken the habit to help her make dinner and Naran had begun to teach him Mando' a.

And so every evening Naran and the child sat together at the little table in the kitchen. She prepared the dinner, and the baby brought things that made him curious.

Then she would say the name in Mando' a, repeating it a couple of times until the child raised his ears and walked away for another object.

It was a small, almost sacred moment, which Mando always regretted having to break.

\- Hoshap - (Spoon)

Now that he was used to her voice, the Sontao accent was evident, but although he would not admit it out loud, he found it adorable.

The baby nodded and left the spoon on the table when he saw Mando enter; he ran to it and hugged his leg. Naran smiled.

\- Buir -

The warm and proud feeling in his chest did not take him by surprise. It was well-received, under the helmet, he allowed himself to smile at the baby.

\- Buir -

Naran repeated, and the baby nodded.

Mando sat down in front of her.

The baby rushed to sit between them; Naran gave him a bite of the bun filling.

\- Mando 'a classes will be an excellent way to keep him distracted during the trip -

Mando doubted that the kid would memorize all the words, but he definitely liked the sound of their voices.

\- It's going to be a long journey; you need all the weapons you can get, so the child doesn't get bored -

He nodded, and with the book on the table, he began to write.

As the hours passed the pages began to fill, and the kitchen was flooded with the smell of fruit buns and stew.

"In Nevarro under the city..."

Mando wrote about the life of the enclave in a short and precise way, with the pain still very recent. As he considered whether he should add the names of the clans that had fallen, he sighed aloud with regret.

\- When you arrive at the sanctuary, can you do me a favour? –

Mando looked up, Naran was feeding the baby but looking at him.

\- The names of the clans or brothers in the enclave, could you give them to my brother-in-law? -

He tensed at the request, and the child must have noticed because it stopped eating.

\- I'd like them to be carved in the living room so that the children can recite them before bedtime -

With a lump in his throat, he nodded gratefully. Naran smiled and fed the baby again.

"In Arvala 7..."

Mando didn't realize how long it had been until Naran stood up with the baby asleep in her arms

\- I'll put him to bed. You should eat something and then go to sleep; long days are coming -

If Naran felt the wave of emotions stirred inside of him by the thought of the places he had visited, she did not show it. She smiled at him and went out with the baby in her arms.

Mando closed the book and suddenly felt like running after her.

"You need to keep your emotions under control."

Mando knew that he had allowed himself more freedom than he should have during those weeks, and as a result, his discipline had fallen.

He was absurdly comfortable and felt safe as he hadn't in years. Before he began to think about the dreams that had haunted him for the last few days, he stood up.

Mando still had a mission and dreams are not reality.

What we have is what there is, and desires can become dangerous.

He sighed, looking at the dinner carefully stored under a dome that kept it warm, and his heart reacted again when he heard Naran walking down the corridor to her room.

Annoyed at himself for his lack of common sense, he put the food in the refrigerator and walked into the room; the freshly polished beskar made him uncomfortable.

"Think only of your duty to the clan."

Mando turned off the light and went to bed, lying down without taking off his helmet.

He closed his eyes and whispered:

**Ba’jur bal beskar’gam**

(Education and armour)

**Ara’nov aliit**

(Self-defense and our tribe)

**Mando’a bal Mand’alor**

(Our language and our leader)

**An vecuyan mhi**

(All helps us to survive)

Suddenly he was thirteen years old; with the training helmet on his head, lying down waiting for the dawn of his verd'goten*.

He had been so nervous that he had not been able to sleep, and all night he had shivered with anxiety, thinking, "What if I fail?"

The Mando' ade ways had given him a home, and if he failed he would not only be losing the security of it, he would also have failed his ancestors and brought dishonour to the clan that had taken him in.

While he was growing up as a foundling, he had always been aware of his responsibilities.

Loyalty, gratitude, respect and admiration were the basis of each decision he had made, even the bad ones.

From the day he was given his helmet, and Bendak told him "You must grow up to fill it and be worthy of it" he had striven to do what was necessary to bring glory to the clan.

Now, twenty years later and with thousands of decisions made; he was once again afraid of failing in his duty.

Educate children in traditions and passing on the knowledge of the clan, raising warriors.

Earn the beskar with honour and use it as a sign of your value as a warrior.

Protect the clan, the tribe, the house, keep the family safe; keep yourself alive.

Make the clan prosper; make sure your name doesn't disappear.

Speak Mando' a and make sure that those who continue the name of the clan speak it too.

Always respond to the call of the clan leader.

Those are the principles of the Mando' ade creed, his life's mission.

He felt the weight of responsibility on his chest and was comforted.

It was a feeling he recognized and had always helped him to move forward; Mando took a deep breath as he had done so many times before whenever he was about to make a difficult decision.

When a feeling of regret fought its way back into his heart, and orange flashes invaded his mind, he felt like screaming.

"Remember your responsibilities, hold on to the creed and make it your life."

He repeated the Resol' nare in his mind until he fell asleep.

***

The sweet smell in the air made him look around.

The beach was empty, and the white sand extended to the horizon. He recognized the dream at once, and although his heart fluttered with the thought of her, he forced himself to remember that it was not real.

"Din"

He closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists.

The pain of his nails burying themselves in his palm, helped him to focus.

He couldn't afford to dream.

"Din"

It wasn't real; it was impossible for him.

***

When he opened his eyes, the light coming through the open door scared him for a moment until he felt the helmet.

\- Hey, come here! Dad's sleeping! –

He was already used to the way his heart seemed to have a life of its own but still couldn't handle the butterflies in his stomach when he heard her voice outside the room.

Mando felt the baby climb into the bed and smile.

\- Good morning Womp rat -

He sat down and received the baby's embrace with joy. He looked up at Naran but could only see his shadow against the open door.

Mando wanted to tell her that she could come in; he wanted to say to her it was okay.

But it would be a lie and also an offence to her.

He forced himself to think with the same modesty and decorum as Naran.

Something that seemed natural to her having been raised by a Mando'ade mother and a Sontao mother.

He knew nothing of the Sontao, but the Mando'ade customs say that a Mando'ade cannot enter the rooms of a Mando'ade of the opposite sex without appearing to be an advance. The kind of advance you don't make without marriage in mind.

You can share a room when decorum is not in question, for example, in a place that does not belong to any of the people involved.

He felt a wave of guilt at the thought of the occasions when he had taken advantage of the loopholes in the creed to do something that was definitely against tradition or custom.

Naran had already shown him more than once that she knew of the Mando'ade customs and respected them.

Refusing to look at him if he wore nothing but the Kute, refusing to enter his room even with the door open, she had also begun to wear gloves that only left her fingers exposed, so as not to disturb him.

No one had given him that amount of attention, understanding, and respect before. 

Mando rose from his bed with the child in his arms and left the room.

\- Good morning -

Naran was kneeling behind the wall; she smiled at him.

\- Breakfast is ready -

He was painfully aware that he should not feel so emotional just by looking at her, but he could not help himself.

"Discipline brings temperance," he recalled.

After breakfast, he got dressed and went to help with the maintenance work. Naran was already organizing one of the many cabinets in the shelter when he arrived.

\- What is all this? –

She smiled from the floor where she was sitting next to the baby.

\- These are walls -

He looked at the long wooden pieces with rings at the top, and his mind soon clicked.

\- For the supports on the roof -

The shelter generally had a high ceiling, except for the small place outside the kitchen which had supports installed on the rock.

Mando hadn't asked himself what they were for.

\- In the good old days, we used this to separate the members of the more conservative clans during celebrations -

He nodded and approached them.

\- What do you want to use them for? –

She thought about it for a moment, and her lips made the characteristic gesture of every time she wanted to ask him for something.

\- Do you want me to take them to the ship? –

Naran nodded and averted his eyes.

\- Actually. I thought they might take them to Vencuyot* -

He helped her put the pieces of wood against the wall.

Naran smiled, embarrassed.

\- The sanctuary will need new water containers; this will do -

Mando nodded and took two of the walls.

\- Won't you need them? –

She helped him arrange the pieces of wood he had in his hand and covered them with one of the oldest sheets they had.

\- There are no weddings here anymore. They'll be more useful for the children -

Mando nodded and began to push the pieces of wood.

\- Did you celebrate many weddings? –

He didn't want to think about why he asked.

\- More than you'd expect, especially in times of war -

Naran started pushing another pair of boards, and he waited for her; so they could go together.

\- Really? –

She smiled, and the sentimental expression on her face made her glow.

\- I remember this particular couple; they were on separate sides of the war when they met, almost killed each other -

Mando helped her get the pieces down the step so she could keep talking.

\- They escaped the purge together; his clans were opposed to the wedding, of course. They didn't want to disgrace their clans, so they decided to take off their helmets -

He stood very still, unable to understand what he had just heard.

\- They were married twice, once as Mando'ade and once as dar'manda -

Her voice broke for a moment.

\- It was the saddest wedding I ever attended -

He felt his heart race with fear and curiosity.

Could she read his mind?

***

They had finished moving all the pieces into the main room when the beacon sensor that Naran always carried in her bag began to sound.

They both moved on instinct.

Mando took the baby to the children's room, closing the door with the armband and Naran put on the armbands, boots and bandana before walking out the door.

When he met her, the durasteel defences were in place, and everything was ready.

\- Any plans? –

He heard the soft laughter of Naran. It was obvious she was not used to working as a team.

\- In that case, I'll stay here and take the shots -

Maybe he couldn't see her lips, but her eyes were definitely smiling.

\- Just distract him a little -

He nodded, suppressing the shudder of pleasure that his cheerful voice provoked.

The figure soon appeared at the entrance, and he had to admit that it was not what he had expected to see.

\- Spike! –

Naran disabled the durasteel plates, took off her bandana and ran to meet her friend. Mando followed her slowly.

\- Naran! –

As soon as they were near each other, Naran knelt and greeted the Chelidae* with both hands.

\- Why did you not send a message?, I had opened the hangar -

The Chelidae, Spike, smiled.

\- The second wave of storms is about to begin; I feared there would be interference -

Naran smiled and stood up, then turned to face him.

\- Spike. He is a guest of the Nevarro enclave -

Spike looked at him with his big black eyes and nodded slightly.

\- I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you're comfortable -

The thick voice was sincere.

\- Thank you -

Naran looked under the mountain then looked up; the sky had begun to darken.

\- It looks like you got here in time, do you need me to get the ship? –

Spike denied it.

\- I'll go myself, I didn't leave it far behind, and I brought what I needed for the repairs -

She nodded, and Spike walked away.

They went back inside and took some of the pieces of wood they'd left in a hurry and brought them into the hangar.

As Mando took them up to Razor Crest, Naran opened the hangar doors so that Spike's little ship could be sheltered.

As soon as he finished, he went to get the baby. Naran stayed waiting for her friend.

He must admit he was a bit surprised; it had been a couple of years since he had seen a Chelidae.

When he returned with the baby, Naran and Spike were unloading the small ship; she was smiling politely.

\- And how is Vyri? –

Mando left the child on the floor and rushed to help them with the boxes.

\- Excellent, the children will be born soon. Eekeb was very kind to get them and bring them to the sanctuary-

Once all the merchandise was unloaded, Spike and Naran began to unpack while they continued to talk.

\- Will you guys be staying long? –

Mando was busy looking for the kid who seemed to have disappeared.

\- No, we're leaving early tomorrow morning. We were expecting your arrival before we left -

Spike nodded, and Naran's silence did not go unnoticed.

\- Sometimes I miss when this was full of Mandalorians, and I could repair numerous ships -

Spike's comment distracted them and tried to liven up the mood.

\- Someday, there will be wedding banquets on this mountain again. You'll see -

Naran nodded, and they continued their work by talking about trivial things until a gasp was heard behind the boxes.

Mando approached to search; it was dangerous for the child to be in the cargo area.

When he checked, there was nothing. What was going on?

He heard Naran and Spike continue their conversation and was about to give up the search when a green blur jumped on him.

Mando felt the weight on his helmet, and the next thing he knew was Spike's scream echoing in the hangar.

\- WHAT IS THIS? -

Naran ran up from the Dagger. Spike screamed again, waving one of his arms.

\- HELP ME! –

Naran stepped forward with a confused expression and stopped the blurred stain.

\- I do not know what is wrong with him! He does not normally behave like this -

The child struggled intensely to break free from Naran's arms.

When Mando saw him struggling, everything snapped back into his head.

The child had jumped on him to gain momentum and fall on the Chelidae; then, he had started to bite one of his arms.

He held back the laughter at Spike's expression.

Certainly, the appearance of his new friend was peculiar, although nothing very unusual; until Mando examined the hood he was wearing.

\- Maker -

Naran and Spike looked at him without understanding.

\- Well, it's just that the kid is peculiar -

The baby squirmed again, and Naran frowned with concern.

\- Is something wrong? –

Spike seemed worried too, and that gave him the motivation to talk.

\- The child... likes to eat frogs-

Silence took over the atmosphere for what seemed like an eternity.

The chelidae are amphibious after all, and the hood Spike wore, the design made him look like a frog.

Surprisingly, Spike was the first to laugh.

\- He was trying to eat me! –

Naran bit her lip, holding a smile.

\- Sorry kid but you can't eat me! –

As Spike laughed, the child stopped struggling and looked confused.

\- You're fiercer than you look -

Spike went over to the baby.

\- Don't worry little bean. I forgive you -

Naran sighed and walked away to the dagger with the child in her arms.

***

Everyone returned to their tasks.

Mando was inspecting Razo Crest and the Dagger, making sure everything was ready.

Naran was helping to organize the new arrivals with food and other useful things, and Spike was fixing the harvesting machines that had not survived the hurricane.

\- How have the freezer containers been working? –

He heard Spike say from the far side of the hangar.

\- Excellent, they keep everything fresh, and the profits have increased since the last modification -

Naran's voice sounded clear, echoing through the hangar.

\- Perfect, next we'll start repairs... AAAH! -

The Chelidae's cry echoed through the hangar, Mando left the ship at full speed and saw Naran running.

His heart was racing with adrenaline in an automatic response to possible danger.

When Mando finally reached the scene, Naran was biting her lip to keep from laughing.

Spike was on the ground, turned over in his shell, and the baby was on him. He seemed to have jumped off the counter where Naran kept his tools, directly onto the chelidae, causing him to fall backwards.

Mando held a laugh and went over to help, pulling the child off of Spike.

\- Why did you do that? –

Naran approached, the poor Chelidae was pale and looked like he was about to faint.

\- He scared me to death -

He avoided laughing at Spike's petrified expression.

Naran bit her lip again, and staring at the baby, she said in a firm voice.

\- That's not right! -

The baby pouted.

\- Chelidae are friends, not food.-

She spoke in a firm voice, and the baby seemed to understand because he bent his ears in surrender.

They returned to their chores, and for the good or bad luck of the adults present, the child tried to eat his new friend a couple more times. On each occasion, causing a fright to his innocent victim and earning a scolding from Naran.

Spike took it philosophically, laughing almost every time and praising the baby's ferocity, as well as his excellent hunting skills.

He wouldn't say it out loud, but Mando was surprised too, and maybe, just maybe, a little proud.

***

Dinner went smoothly, Spike and the baby made up and shared a fruit bun.

Naran, Spike and the baby had eaten in the kitchen and Mando in his room. The broth was delicious, and the buns tasted even better with the hot tea.

When he had gone to return the dishes, Spike had already left, and Naran had given him the baby already asleep.

"You must be rested for tomorrow," she had told him to send him to sleep.

Lying down with his helmet on, Mando couldn't sleep and kept thinking about the next day's goodbye. He felt sorry for the child, and although he knew he shouldn't, he felt sad for himself.

He recited the resol'nare again, looking for peace of mind and trying to get the sadness that was beginning to flood him out of his head.

"It is a pity there is not enough time."

Naran had said the last night they slept in the same room, and now he felt the bitterness of the idea. Had she felt it too?

Mando didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't help it either.

That was the reason why Naran had decided that everyone should go back to their room?

His heart raced at the thought, and inside his mind, he could hear his own reproach.

"Just this once," he said to himself.

He walked almost in a hurry to the kitchen where Mando knew he would find her because she had not slept for days.

\- Mando?-

It seemed like a dream.

She was dressed in the blue robe she slept in, and her hair was tied in a messy bun, just like the first time he had heard her whisper at night.

\- I can't sleep -

Naran's gaze softened, and he felt his heart leap.

\- I'm doing Haashun* if you want... we can talk for a while -

Mando nodded, unable to respond without feeling that he was losing his breath.

He sat across the table, and as he reached out to help her, he noticed that he did not have his gloves on.

Conscious of his embarrassment and not wanting to drive her away, he stood still, hiding his hands under the table.

The minutes passed, and Mando plunged into the trance caused by the tranquillity of Naran's presence and the domesticity of the scene in which he had immersed himself.

"Just this once" he remembered.

\- Can I ask you something? –

Naran looked up from the mass and blinked a couple of times.

\- Of course -

When he saw her smile, he felt a tingle in his stomach.

\- Why didn't you swear the creed? –

For a moment he thought he'd ruined everything, but for the maker, he needed to know.

Her answer could put an end to the absurdly happy dreams that had been tormenting him.

\- Because only a foundling can take the verd'goten –

Mando saw her sighing and held his breath, waiting, letting her decide if she was willing to share it with him.

\- Only children adopted by Mando'ade can be foundlings -

He was confused; she had said her mother was Mando'ade.

Naran read his mind again.

\- When I was adopted. My mother was already dar'manda -

They both remained silent for a few minutes, processing Naran's statement.

\- I am the daughter of a disgraced Mando'ade. I was not worthy of a verd'goten -

He knew he should have been disappointed; that his mind and heart should stop reacting to her because that is what tradition dictated. But there was no change.

\- I was born on a planet that no longer exists. When I was two weeks old, slavers came and started taking the girls away -

There was no sadness in her voice, but there was definitely emotion.

\- Just then, a Mando'ade was travelling with her foundling, trying to get away from the consequences of war -

Naran spoke calmly, quietly, as if she did not wish to awaken the memories.

\- When the said Mando'ade discovered what was happening, she decided to help the poor mothers from whom their children had been taken. That night...-

He felt her study him with her eyes and tried to convey confidence, almost cursing himself for not putting on the gloves.

If he'd been wearing his gloves, he could have touched her

\- That night, the Mando'ade saved twelve children. Eleven families got their children back, but she lost her helmet -

When her voice broke, he felt a thump in his chest. Mando was about to retract it and tell her that she did not need to say to him more when she smiled at him.

\- That night, she saved me and adopted me as her daughter. Not only did she give me a home, but she also gave me an older sister -

Naran smiled, still with tears in her eyes.

\- Over time, she discovered I was a Sontao and tried to take me to my people. She ended up getting married, adopting another name and raising two Sontao girls -

He saw her wipe her hands with a damp cloth and then put her hand around her neck.

From the kute, she pulled out a silver chain with a small kyr'bes.

\- I was raised in Mando'ade customs and Sontao traditions at the same time. I also have a sister who wears a beskar helmet and a sister with the mark of a moonchild -

The sadness in her voice was overshadowed by pride at the mention of his sisters.

\- Your older sister swore to the creed? –

Naran nodded.

\- Mother tried hard, and a member of her former clan agreed to adopt her. The blood my mother shed for the protection of her clan allowed my sister to participate in the Verd'goten -

Naran sighed and put the chain back under her kute.

\- As the daughter of a disgraced Mando'ade who had renounced her former name, the creed was beyond me. But there are many ways to honour your ancestors; my mother was certain of that -

The tradition was very specific, painfully specific.

Disgraced Mando' ade ceased to be mando'ade.

They lost their heritage, their identity and their soul.

Their children became orphans in the eyes of the clan, and if no one took them in as foundlings they could never be sworn the creed, they would never be mando'ade.

Mando forced himself not to think of the chasm that would separate them from each other from that moment.

Seeing the fear of rejection in her brown eyes, he felt like hugging her.

At that moment, he knew that the tears he had provoked her with his question could well turn into knives because they hurt him more deeply than any vibroblade.

\- How did you meet Spike? –

Even though he did not feel worthy of knowing more, he still wanted to hear her voice; he wanted to make her understand that there was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to be able to know her.

\- He and his wife, Vyri, were my fellow prisoners.-

Mando felt a punch on his chest, he had wanted to lighten the mood, and now he was faced with another delicate subject.

The silence floated heavy between them at his inability to respond.

Naran's smile sent a chill of relief down his spine.

\- It is not a sad subject, Mando. I am proud to have survived, and I am lucky to have made such good friends -

There was no blame in her pretty brown eyes, and he allowed himself to release the breath he did not know he had been holding.

\- They are a lovely couple and excellent mechanics, plus they will soon be first-time parents. I'm very happy for them -

With the forgotten tears and the countdown whispering in their ears, both allowed themselves to talk about unimportant things until dawn.

***

The sun was shining orange when Mando finished loading his and the baby's things, into the ship.

\- Is everything ready? –

Naran asked Spike who had insisted on giving the Razor Crest an inspection before they left.

\- You are an excellent mechanic, as always -

Naran smiled, and Spike paused for a moment.

\- Goodbye, Mandalorian. You and your fierce little bean have a safe trip -

He took the Cheliade's hand gratefully.

\- Thank you for everything--

Spike walked away, and before he left, he told Naran:

\- I'll come back later to check the Dagger and make sure everything's ready -

She nodded and watched him go out of the hangar.

When she looked back at them, the baby felt the change of atmosphere.

Seeing the baby's eyes fill with tears, Naran took it in her arms.

\- Hey, be good ik'aad* -

Their hug almost broke his heart.

\- Pay attention to your Mando'a classes, okay? –

Naran brought the baby to him, and although Mando held him, the child refused to let her go; he had no choice but to let him return to Naran's arms.

The tears came like a storm, and Mando could see her hesitate; after closing her eyes for a moment, she kissed the child's forehead.

\- Listen, little one. I need you to pay attention-

The crying became a sad whimper. With a sigh, Naran regained a severe countenance; with a gentle movement, she pulled out the silver chain.

\- Do you see this? –

The kid looked at the pendant for a moment and then looked at the one that still hung around his little neck.

\- That's right; it's the same one. Do you know what that means? –

At times like this, Mando wondered if the baby could understand them because he denied slightly.

\- It means that you and I are connected by the legacy that saved our lives -

The baby stopped crying and looked at Mando for a moment, then returned to focus on Naran.

\- Always, listen to me, always. Always, you will have a safe place to come back to. No matter how much time passes, no matter if you wear a helmet or not. –

His eyes filled with tears when he heard her speak lovingly and passionately to the baby.

\- This place will always welcome you, and I will always be attentive to your return. I won't forget you, no matter how many years go by. Because we are united by the ancestors who look at us from the stars, okay? –

The baby touched her face with a small hand, and Naran smiled at him with tears in her eyes.

\- Until you find your people and decide what to do, you are a son of Mandalore. Be a brave little child and protect your father, okay? –

Naran kissed the baby on the forehead again and then handed him over, the child let himself go.

The moment he looked into her eyes, his knees shook.

\- I want you to remember that this is a place you can go back to. Remember that I will always be a friend and answer your call -

From the bag on her thigh Naran took out a Homing beacon* and a silver coin, he took them, feeling a lump in his throat.

\- Ret'urcye mhi - (Perhaps we will meet again)

He stared at her.

Bathed in the warm sunlight with her dark hair glowing and her eyes turned to amber, she did not seem real.

\- Ret'urcye mhi -

He answered her with a voice thread.

Mando climbed up the Razor Crest almost in a trance, feeling that he had been immersed in warm water and waiting for the impending cold to come as he abruptly went out into the wind.

He turned the ship on without thinking and set the coordinates.

"Don't look back."

Mando could have sworn he could feel her, which was absurd because he had never touched her.

He took the baby and placed it in his lap, clinging to it like an anchor and forcing himself to look ahead until the stars welcomed them.

* * *

NOTES

Verd’goten: Traditional rite in Mandalorian culture after which a young person is accepted as an adult

Vencuyot: It translates as future. In this story, it's the name of the orphan sanctuary.

Chelidae: Species native to the planet Castilon. (For visual support you can look at wookiepedia)

Haashun: Also called "transparent bread". It is a very thin type of bread that is dried for preservation and hydrated for consumption. Mandalorian version of a ration pack.

Homing beacon: A tracking device that can emit a distress signal, usually used for ships.

Ik’aad: Ik’aad: Baby under 3 years old.

Kute: Under tunic that goes under the under armor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a final note: I am following the canon of the series, the information of legends and much of my personal invention so I am no authority in Mandalorian culture. I'm basing a lot on the wookieepedia timeline and a timeline that I found on the internet so the dates may not be correct and the ages may be different.


End file.
